Hang the Code
by Effervescent Dreamer
Summary: "I am a Jedi." Words that were once spoken with such pride, now being used as an emotional shield to protect one's heart.
1. Heart in Turmoil

Hang the Code

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Heavy influence from episodes in seasons 3 and 4 with some inspiration from season 2.

* * *

><p>When Ahsoka's ship reached the base on Coruscant, Jedi Knight and mentor Anakin Skywalker waited, hands clasped behind his back, ice blue eyes full of curiosity with a hint of worry creeping through. What had taken Ahsoka and Bonteri so long getting back? Mandalore wasn't that far. Had they been attacked? If so, why hadn't she called for help? The notion that Ahsoka would be irritated with his so-called "lack of faith in her" nudged the back of his mind like an annoying itch, one that he ignored.<p>

The ship's hatch opened and Anakin's Togruta Padawan stepped out, walking the few steps it took to touch solid ground. Right away, Anakin knew something was off. Ahsoka's mental shields were slammed up tight and her walk was purposeful, completely business, not at all like her graceful, confident gait. Another thing that told the Knight was something was off; she had walked over to him alone.

Anakin's worry grew when he looked into Ahsoka's blue eyes and saw the pain and hurt that bled through, despite her efforts to keep him out of the loop. Something had indeed happened, something big. And he was determined to find out what. Anakin started off by asking the obvious. "Where's Bonteri?"

Immediately, he could sense Ahsoka fighting off the urge to both flinch and look away. Instead, she managed to keep her features schooled into a look of calm, her voice light yet clipped. "I'm sorry, Master, but Lux won't be joining us on Coruscant."

Anakin raised an eyebrow. "Is he all right?"

"As far as I know of," Ahsoka held up a hand to keep him from pressing her as she continued. "Lux took the escape pod. He said he needed to find his own way, to get closure for his mother's death, but that the Republic couldn't help him."

"So he's returning to the Separatists?" Anakin asked.

His Padawan shook her head. "No, he's defected from them." A light, almost amused smile played about her lips. "And given from the display the Separatists displayed at the Senate meeting on Mandalore, I'm inclined to believe it." She looked at Anakin. "Did Senator Amidala contact you to say negotiations had resumed?"

Anakin couldn't help himself. "_Senator Amidala?_"He blurted. "_Inclined to believe_? Who are you and what have you done with Snips? Give her back."

Ahsoka's smile became wry, but the sadness in her eyes remained. Her master's own blue eyes narrowed. "What happened, Ahsoka?" His hands involuntarily curled into fists and his voice became soft, yet edged with a deadly threat that belonged to all protective parental types. "Did Bonteri do something to you? Physically? Verbally? Tell me."

Her eyes grew wide with alarm. "Master, no!" She waved her hands about in denial. "Lux didn't do anything to me!" Anakin sensed Ahsoka stamping out a memory, he tried with futility to grasp it, but it slipped through his Force-infused illusory fingers like a smoky tendril.

His Padawan smiled, one that showed that she was maybe slowly returning to her normal self in all her snippy glory. "Besides Skyguy, I may be a female teen, but I'm also a female Jedi. I have two light sabers and the Force on my side. Even if I were ordinary, I'd be able to handle myself."

Still, Anakin pushed, "You sure you're alright?"

Ahsoka nodded, though the spark that had flared into her eyes was dimming. "I'm fine, Skyguy. Just tired. The trip was long." She managed to offer a smirk. "What with that jailbreak for Lux in the beginning." Without waiting for his permission, Ahsoka slipped past her master and walked toward the temple.

Ahsoka walked slowly, feeling as though she was moving through a haze. In an effort to keep pretenses up, she smiled, nodded and bowed to every youngling, Knight and Master who passed her by. Once she reached her room, the fearless Padawan slipped inside and flung herself face-down onto her bed. Force, this was hard. She hadn't been back on Coruscant for more than a standard hour and already she felt so fake. She knew she was lying. To herself, to her Master.

Ahsoka refused to give into the despair she was trying so hard to suppress. It was like she had told Anakin, she was a Jedi, and much better at following-most of-the Code than he was. She flipped onto her back, suddenly feeling restless. There was no room, no time for concerning oneself with people outside of the Order. That's what she had been taught ever since her days as an Initiate. She let out a soft snort, tell that to the green-grey eyes she just couldn't get out of her mind.

Lux Bonteri, former Senator, former Separatist, an annoying yet endearing _boy_ that was just so…so…so…

_So what?_

Ahsoka frowned, exhaustion coming out of nowhere and beating away her restlessness. She didn't know what, but there was something about him that was just _so. _And whatever it was, that coupled with the fact that he was out there somewhere doing who _knows _what…

"_Careful not to choke on your stupidity."_

…Made her heart ache and drove her crazy.

A knock on her door caused her to shoot up in her bed. "Snips?" Anakin called. "You okay?"

Ahsoka should have known he wouldn't have left her to her own devices for very long. She frowned. How could she not have sensed him? Was she so confused and so obsessed with why she felt that way that her guard had been knocked down to almost nothing?

She forced herself to pour some humor into her voice. "I'm fine, Skyguy." She called back. "I told you, I was tired."

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes when her Master entered her room anyway. He sat down on a chair a stride's length away from her bed. "You're hurting, Ahsoka," Anakin said gently. "I can feel it and the pain seems to run much deeper than those bruises you're sporting."

Ahsoka pressed her lips together. She wasn't ready to talk, not yet. Not until some of her questions were answered and her feelings had settled. She decided to push Anakin toward another direction. "If you really want to know, Master, why not just ask Artoo? I'm sure he has all of the details."

A small half-smile formed on his face. "I doubt Artoo has _all_ of the answers." He leaned back in the chair as he tried to prod at her thoughts and get some sort of inkling to what happened. Yet once again, he couldn't get through. Those mental shields were stubborn. Anakin let out a silent sigh, sometimes he felt as if he had taught his Padawan a little _too _well.

He tried another approach. "I can't help you, if you don't let me in, Snips."

"Maybe I don't need your help," came her soft retort. "Maybe I don't want it."

Anakin couldn't help but flash back to that awful time on Mortis. Ahsoka had been kidnapped by the Son, an entity of the Force, one who had been content to walk his path within the Dark side whilst trying to lure Anakin to join him. The Son had somehow infected, _poisoned_ Ahsoka with the Dark energies of the Force. Her eyes had become yellow and her voice was filled with an arrogant confidence bolstered by a cruel sneer.

_"I don't need you anymore."_

Anakin shook his head. Ahsoka wasn't like that, it had all been an evil influence controlling her like a marionette. It had taken both Anakin and the Daughter to cut her free. The Padawan sitting in front of him wasn't trying to push him away because she viewed him as someone in her way, but because she was a teenager who craved independence and wanted to carve out her own path to find the answers before she went back and asked anyone for help. He held back a laugh. Force, how many times had he done that to Obi-Wan when he was her age?

"Having some profound thoughts there?" Anakin blinked before looking at Ahsoka. She smirked. "You were silent, Master and your eyes were beginning to glaze."

The Jedi Knight smiled as he skirted around her question and brought their conversation back to their debate. "You win, Snips. I'll drop the topic of Bonteri." Here, his gaze became pointed. "For now." He stood. "If you need me, I'll either be in the hangar or in one of the training rooms." When he received a nod from Ahsoka, he left.

Ahsoka laid back on her bed and stared up at her ceiling. Her master had just left her alone with her thoughts. Thoughts of Lux. Ahsoka idly wondered just how dangerous that might be. She felt as though two different sides of her were fighting for control of her body. The romantic and painfully all too ordinary side of her had raising a hand toward her lips when her rational Jedi side grasped that hand and forced it down to her hip.

That kiss, that blasted kiss. The one that she was never meant to have received, the one that was simply a means for cover. Yet it didn't feel like it. Yes, Ahsoka had shoved him away and managed to shoot him an annoyed glare when he struggled to answer the leader of Death Watch's question of what they were doing, but her lips had tingled and her heart had pounded all the same.

Come to think of it, Ahsoka was still experiencing those sensations, but something told her it wasn't due to fear. Her mind involuntarily flashed back to those green-grey eyes that had locked onto hers when they were on Mandalore and that small smile of his that had appeared to be only directed towards her. Ahsoka's hand flexed as she recalled the feel of Lux's gloved hand slipping into hers, the grasp tightening as they-

_Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Nothing can happen between you two!_

Ah, and just when she thought her Jedi side wouldn't win this round.

Ahsoka brought her hands to her temples, she was developing a headache from her internal struggle. It wasn't good for a Jedi to keep his or her emotions bottled up. Yet these were emotions Ahsoka knew she couldn't simply release into the Force, to do that would mean becoming an empty shell so to speak, most likely forgetting about just what and _who _caused those feelings.

She exhaled as she thought about who she could possibly go to for guidance. Her Master was out of the question. It wasn't that Ahsoka didn't trust Anakin, she trusted the man with her very life-well, with the exception of nearly all the times she had flown with him as the pilot, the Ahsoka was absolutely certain that her life was in danger-it was just that this was going to be a discussion of attachment and Anakin was either going to give her vague, partial answers or tease her about it. Frankly, the Togruta teen wasn't in the mood for either possibility.

Master Kenobi was out as well. Though she greatly respected Anakin's former Master, he was far too rational and perfectly aloof to allow an attachment, with the exception being Anakin himself of course. Not that Master Obi-Wan didn't care, it was more of the fact that he knew how to maintain a barrier between professionalism and friendship, something that he excelled at, whereas Ahsoka struggled to simply put that barrier up let alone maintain it.

There were days however, when her own master seemed to take pleasure at hinting at otherwise when it came to the member of the Jedi council.

Ahsoka mulled over the thought of going to one of the two female Jedi with whom she associated with the most. There was Barris Offee, a fellow Padawan of Mirialan heritage who was one of Ahsoka's closest friends. She was what most Jedi Knights held in regard as the "Ideal Padawan", she followed the Code to the letter and was completely selfless, willing to sacrifice herself even if it wasn't necessary, something that Ahsoka proved to her twice.

_"It doesn't matter what happens to us now, all that matters is that we've saved countless lives elsewhere."_

_"Kill me, please."_

_"I can't."_

But it was that selflessness, wasn't it, that would prove that Barris didn't have attachments and probably didn't even come close to ever having one.

Jedi Knight Luminara Unduli was Ahsoka's next option, yet she was Barris's Master which meant that she too was one who followed the Code with practical perfection and was also selfless. She cared greatly for her Padawan yet when that weapons factory had collapsed on both Barris and Ahsoka, she had been too certain that all was lost for the apprentices, something that she herself proved by simply telling Ahsoka that Anakin had never lost faith in her despite the dire circumstances.

It wasn't as if Ahsoka could turn to the other female Jedi younglings, most of them swooned over her master. Not that Anakin was bad looking, even she could admit that he was handsome, but honestly the man was practically her _father_ and the thought that girls found him-ugh, she couldn't believe she was sinking to this level-drool worthy was enough to make her nauseous.

Ahsoka sighed, well it seemed that there really wasn't anyone within the Order she could go to for advice on attachments. She supposed she could go to Master Yoda, after all he was the Grand Master and most likely _the wisest one in the universe!_ Ahsoka let out a sharp bark of laughter, the sound completely deprived of humor, a motion done just to relieve some tension.

That was it, it was time to talk to someone outside of the Order and Ahsoka knew just who that someone was. The one who introduced her to that irritating and admittedly endearing _boy_ in the first place. Senator Padme Amidala.

* * *

><p>"Anakin, we should stop before I wind up lopping off your head," Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi sighed with exasperation as he deactivated his light saber.<p>

Anakin rolled his eyes. "Oh come on, Master. My moves were not that sloppy."

"True," Obi-Wan conceded. "However you are proving to be most distracted. I have a feeling asking this question will prove to be pointless, but is everything all right?"

The young Jedi Knight longed to able to tell Obi-Wan that yes, everything was indeed all right, that all of his missions had been executed with little to no error, that the Twilight had been having nothing but smooth voyages and that his Padawan was doing just fine. Aside from the fact that all of this would have meant that he wouldn't be Anakin Skywalker without those problems, it was the last item on his mental list that was troubling him.

"I'm worried about Ahsoka," Anakin admitted quietly.

His former raised an eyebrow. "What has given you cause to worry about her?"

Anakin gave a nearly imperceptible shrug, the only sign of helplessness he was willing to display. "Something happened when she was traveling back to Coruscant. It's hurting her emotionally. Badly." His ice blue eyes darkened to storm clouds. "I _know_ Lux Bonteri has something to do with it."

Obi-Wan was silent for a minute, musing. "Lux Bonteri? Isn't that the name of the son of the late Separatist Senator Mina Bonteri?" When he received a nod from his former Padawan, he continued. "I know Ahsoka's views on the Separatists, why would she be talking with a boy from that side of the political spectrum?"

Anakin gave a wry smile. "She met him when she had accompanied Padme on a Senatorial mission. Needless to say he changed some of her views." His voice became hardened. "They met again during the peace negotiations on Mandalore, she was escorting him here to Coruscant, but something on the way happened that caused him to leave on the escape pod and her returned to me with damage to herself other than mere bruises."

Obi-Wan looked concerned. "You don't suppose he took advantage of her, do you?"

Anakin shook his head. "I don't know what to think, her mental shields are impermeable. However, I don't think she was taken advantage of. She told me she wasn't and I trust her." He managed a smirk. "Besides, if that was the case, it would have been an _attempt_ that ended with Ahsoka very angry and most likely dragging Bonteri's unconscious form behind her."

As Obi-Wan absorbed all of this, his expression changed from concerned to wary. He was silent as he arranged the proper words to his next query, knowing he would have to broach this subject carefully. "Anakin," the Jedi Master began quietly. "Do you think it's possible that Ahsoka has formed an attachment to this boy?"

Anakin frowned, eyebrows drawing together as his muscles tightened in that familiar protective feeling. It wasn't as if he could race off, find Bonteri and give him a piece of his mind when it came to his Padawan. Instead, he tried for a different approach. Denial.

"No." Anakin shook his head. "No. Ahsoka, attached? To Bonteri?" He chuckled. "Come on, Master, be serious, she's only been around the kid twice. It's impossible to become attached to someone that quickly."

Obi-Wan shot him a pointed look. "Oh, really?"

Anakin made sure to keep his features arranged in a look of calm. He knew he had to tread lightly here. "Yes, really. And I refuse to believe that Ahsoka has an attachment to Bonteri."

His former master rolled his eyes. "Come now, Anakin, we've both dealt with attachment...complications. You and I both know that."

A smirk graced the Knight's face as mischief came into his blue eyes. "Oh," he drawled in an overly casual voice. "So you finally admit to your feelings for both Siri and Duchess Satine?" He held back a laugh as Obi-Wan glared at him.

"I am not even going to dignify that question with the sort of response I know you want," Obi-Wan retorted, bristling slightly.

Anakin was about to fake a frown and accuse his longtime friend of not being fun when he sensed an additional presence in the room. One who he was relieved to sense. "Hey, Snips," he greeted, whirling around to face his Padawan.

Ahsoka gave a small smile as she regarded the two elder Jedi. "Hey, Skyguy, Master Kenobi."

"Hello, Ahsoka," Obi-Wan greeted. "I hear from Anakin that you had an interesting voyage back to Coruscant."

Ahsoka maintained her smile. Interesting was certainly one way of putting it. She nodded before looking over at her master. "Master, I just wanted to inform you that I was on my way to see Senator Amidala. I think she should be informed that Lux will not be joining the Republic, much less staying on Coruscant."

Anakin's smile was teasing, "You know, Snips, you didn't need to come find me, you could've just contacted me."

His apprentice shrugged. "I left my comm link in my room."

"And what about going to see Padme in person?" Anakin questioned. "You could have also contacted her."

Ahsoka was careful as she answered him. "I have some political based questions and who better to ask than a Senator? Padme is the only one I know who is willing and patient enough to give me a thorough answer." Her smile grew wider. "After all, she was the one to give me my first lesson in politics anyway. We can't be too skewed with our opinions of this war. I thought it was necessary for a Jedi to remain neutral."

"It's necessary for a Jedi to be mindful of both sides of the war," Obi-Wan inferred. "You are correct, young one. This also means that it is beneficial for a Jedi to not become so clouded with emotions and judgment. I am very impressed with the growth of your diplomatic skills."

At the sound of his former master's words, Anakin couldn't help but swell with pride for his Padawan, yet before he could comment, much less give her permission to go see Padme, Ahsoka interjected, confusion on her face.

"If we're not to be clouded with judgment, then why have we been taught, er, trained to constantly fight the Separatists and they fight us?"

"I think that's going to have to be one of the questions you should address to Padme," Anakin said.

Ahsoka still looked unsure. "I guess so."

A lop sided smile graced Anakin's face. "Come now, Snips. Didn't you just say that Padme was the best one to give you the answers you're seeking?" When Ahsoka nodded, he continued. "I think you should then go see her." His expression then became firm. "And afterward, we're going to have that talk like I said we would earlier."

"Yes, Master," Ahsoka sighed. She headed for the door, yet before she left the room, she turned back and looked at Obi-Wan. "Master, forgive me for listening in, but when I was about to come in here, I heard you and Skyguy talking about attachments, I was just wondering, is it possible to," She really hoped her voice sounded casual. "To break an attachment? I mean, if one happened to be formed," she hastily added.

Obi-Wan frowned slightly. While it was far from welcomed and never encouraged, it wasn't altogether impossible for a Jedi to form an attachment. Obi-Wan himself had experienced this twice over and unfortunately it was something Anakin liked to occasionally lord over his head. Yet it was done to merely tease him, not as a threat to turn him in. The Jedi Master wondered why if Ahsoka had such a question, did she not go to her own mentor to ask.

On second thought, perhaps Anakin wasn't the best choice.

Especially if the fact that Ahsoka had indeed formed an attachment to Lux Bonteri was taken into consideration, Anakin would more than likely go on some sort of protective rant and confuse the child even more. And judging from the suspicious look on Anakin's face, Obi-Wan guessed that his theory wasn't that far off. Then again, Ahsoka had asked how to _break _an attachment.

He finally spoke, "Emotions are a difficult thing to understand, quite an anomaly really. They are what drive us in life and as Jedi we are taught from the beginning to carefully pick and choose out emotions, the ones that will help us and which ones to stay away from because they will lure you to the Dark side. Attachments are out of our control for they are formed subconsciously. But to break an attachment by forcing feelings to fade away?" Obi-Wan shook his head. "I'm afraid I don't know whether or not that's possible without being detrimental to someone's life."

"Attachments are stuck with ya, Snips," Anakin put in wryly. His voice grew soft. "Even after that person you're attached to is gone."

"I...see," Ahsoka replied softly. She looked at her mentor out of the corner of her eye. He seemed sad, almost distressed, blue eyes trying to hold back a pain that had been there for far too long and didn't seem to be going away anytime soon.

Ahsoka struggled to find the proper words of comfort when just as quickly as it came, the pain in Anakin's eyes vanished and a smile returned. "Snips, did Obi-Wan answer your question?" He asked.

His Padawan looked thoughtful. "I think so." Anakin could see the truth was otherwise, there was still so much confusion in her eyes. A slight grin made its way onto Ahsoka's face. "I still want to go see Padme."

"All right," Anakin conceded. "But if she's busy, don't bother her. Just come back here." Ahsoka fought off the urge to roll her eyes and chime "Duh!", merely nodding and left.

There was silence for a moment before Obi-Wan broke it. "Still think Ahsoka does _not _have an attachment to that boy?"

"Yep."

Obi-Wan chuckled. "Anakin, you've entrenched yourself in denial."

"I know," he groaned.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka shifted, slightly nervous as she stood outside Padme's apartment. The talk she had with both Skyguy and Obi-Wan did little to help her. From what she had gathered, attachments were something that couldn't always be avoided, but it was best not to dwell on them. She felt as though she was stuck in one point and couldn't move. If she was to be honest with herself, Ahsoka realized that she was afraid. Afraid that this attachment ran much deeper, would she be pulled to the Dark side? All because of some boy? With whom she had only interacted with <em>twice<em>? According to the Jedi code it seemed so.

Ahsoka exhaled heavily, forcing herself to relax. If there was anyone she felt like she could go to for answers and guidance when it came to something as confusing and complex as this, it was Padme. She took another breath before knocking on the Senator's door, hoping fervently that she was home, all the better to clear her muddled mind and avoid that otherwise inevitable chat with her master.

She needn't have worried, for a minute later, the door opened revealing the Senator herself the happy look on her face when she first saw who her guest was, morphed into one of concern. "Ahsoka, what's wrong?" Padme asked as she drew the child into her apartment. "Where's Lux?"

Ahsoka sighed. "He took the escape pod that came with the cruiser we were on and left. He insisted that the Republic couldn't help him, not like his first plan was much better," she mumbled.

"First plan?" Padme asked, her concern growing. "Ahsoka, what happened? Did Lux place you in some kind of danger?"

"No!" Ahsoka was quick to defend. "Well, yes. Sort of..."

"Sort of?" The Senator echoed.

"I mean, it wasn't Lux's intention for me to get into danger, I kind of stumbled into it. Besides, I'm a Jedi," she laughed weakly. "When are we not in danger?"

Padme didn't look convinced. She went over to sit on her couch and motioned for Ahsoka to join her. "I'm afraid you're going to have to tell me the whole story. Did you even tell Anakin?"

Ahsoka shook her head, silka beads gently tapping her lekku. "No, there's...kind of a lot to tell. Parts that would make him concerned and might cause him to be irrational," she paused and rolled her eyes. "Then there was something that has confused me and left me a little scared." She hung her head and spoke her next words in a rush. "Padme, I think I broke the code."

"What do you mean?" Padme's brow furrowed. "An attachment? Well, I suppose that's possible given how fast you and Lux became friends when you met him on Raxus." She smiled lightly, teasingly. "And that friendship was apparent with those stars in his eyes when he saw you again on Mandalore."

Ahsoka returned the smile wistfully, eyes that she swore made her heart skip a beat.

"I think you should start explaining what happened by telling me what happened after you had run off after him during the negotiation," Padme said.

"Sorry about that, by the way," Ahsoka replied sheepishly, but Padme waved her apology away. The teen began her tale. "When I had found the chamber Lux had been dragged to, I heard Count Dooku give the orders to have him killed. I forced my way into the room and destroyed the droids that were about to shoot him and got us out of there. We were still under fire by other droids we encountered, yet managed to escape. Not a minute after we had boarded the ship, Master Skywalker called, telling me what you had told him. I told him we were en route to Coruscant, but apparently Lux had other plans, insisting that the Republic could not help him with finding justice for his mother's death." Both Ahsoka and Padme winced. Padme, at the sudden reminder of her friend's death; Ahsoka, because she was sorry for abruptly mentioning it.

She went on. "I was insistent that going to Coruscant was the right choice and that he couldn't accomplish his mission on his own. I'm the fighter and he's the politician, I thought I was right." She laughed humorlessly. "Lux thought otherwise and used a taser to shock me into unconsciousness." Padme gasped, but didn't interrupt.

"He took control of the ship and when I awoke, I learned that we had landed on a planet called Carlacc and that Lux had taken my light sabers and hidden them. Luckily Artoo, who was with us, found them, but in the meantime I learned that Lux had aligned himself with Death Watch."

This time, Padme did interrupt. "_Death Watch?_" She cried. "That is a group of Mandalorian terrorists! What was that boy thinking endangering the two of you like that? You especially, Ahsoka! You're a Jedi!"

"He thought they were the quickest way to taking down Dooku," Ahsoka replied calmly. "As for hiding the fact that I'm a Jedi..." she trailed off, the blue stripes of her lekku brightening, a sign of embarrassment as she recalled her facade.

_"I'm...his betrothed!" Thick black eyelashes fluttered flirtatiously over large blue orbs as she gave a subtle, nearly imperceptible nod. A silent signal to go with the lie. He did._

"...I said I was his fiancée." Padme bit down on a smile, knowing that if it wasn't such an inappropriate time, she would have laughed.

"And did Death Watch take your word for it?" she asked.

Ahsoka looked away as she nodded. "Lux 'proved' it to them. He uh, um..." The stripes brightened even further. "He kissed me," she confessed, voice almost girlishly breathy.

"He kissed you?" Padme exclaimed, happy for her friend, until she remembered the situation at hand. One, that kiss had been for cover, although judging from the look in Ahsoka's eyes, it hadn't felt like a lie, for either one of them. Two, kissing a Jedi was certainly a no-no. No wonder Ahsoka hadn't said a word to Anakin. He felt like his Padawan was his child and had told this to Padme herself. Even if the kiss had been done to protect Ahsoka from the wrath of the terrorists, Anakin still wouldn't be happy about it.

Padme cleared her throat, composing herself. "Then what happened?"

"The leader of Death Watch ordered one of subordinates to take me from tent we were in to one where they kept their prisoners. Eventually they showed their true colors." Ahsoka paused, closing her eyes against the pain of remembering Tryla's murder.

"I couldn't stand by as they tormented this village they had taken hostage and my identity as a Jedi was exposed. I was nearly executed yet Artoo had rescued me. I dueled the leader managing to disarm him and escaped with Artoo and Lux. We had to shake off a few of the pursuing members of Death Watch but we reached the ship. I thought we were finally going to Coruscant but once again, Lux had other plans. That's when he took the escape pod and left."

"And took your heart with you," Padme surmised in a soft voice.

Ahsoka froze, eyes wide. "Wait..._love_? You...you think I love him? Lux?" She laughed with an incredulous trill. "No, no. Absolutely not. I...I can't!"

"It would explain why you think you broke the Jedi code," the Senator pointed out gently.

"But..." Ahsoka felt helpless as she tried to find both a witty and valid rebuke.

"I don't think love can be helped."

"That's what both Anakin and Master Obi-Wan said," Ahsoka grumbled as she slouched against the couch.

Padme smiled. "Well, they're right." She gently clasped the teen's hand. "Emotions are powerful and more often than not they are out of our control. Sadness, anger, those we can fight. But happiness? Love? Those are too difficult to fight."

"But I am a _Jedi_," Ahsoka was beginning to get desperate. "Love is forbidden! Big time!" She let out a sound that sounded more like a sob than a sigh. "I can't be in love, Padme. You have to be wrong. It's too strong an emotion to release into the Force and I'm worried that I'd be empty without it." She blinked then wailed. "Oh, kriff, that's love, isn't it?"

"Yes it is," Padme conceded. "And you're right, it's a part of you, but Ahsoka, that's not a bad thing."

Ahsoka slumped against Padme's shoulder. "I feel like I'm two different people. There's a me that's a Jedi and the me that's the typical teenage girl."

The Senator stroked one of Ahsoka's lekku. "Do you think you're the only Jedi to feel that way?"

"No," Ahsoka mumbled. "I think my master might have some attachment issues. Not to this extent. I feel so alone."

Padme ached to tell Ahsoka that she certainly wasn't alone, that Anakin understood all too well what she was feeling, however it wasn't her place to tell the Padawan, it was Anakin's. "I think you need to talk to your Master," she suggested kindly.

"I can't," Ahsoka murmured.

"It's not like he's going to banish you to your room," Padme laughed. _Though he just might_, she silently considered.

"First he's going to lecture me," Ahsoka predicted. "Then he's going to make fun of me for the next standard month."

Another laugh escaped Padme. That certainly sounded like Anakin. "You need to trust that Anakin will be there for you and that he truly does understand what you're going through." She shifted, lifting Ahsoka's chin so she met her eyes. "Anakin cares about you and he doesn't want to see you get hurt. But you're already hurting so trust him to help you put the pieces back together, okay?"

"Okay," Ahsoka whispered. She hesitated before continuing with another whisper. "Don't tell the Council...?"

"Don't tell them?" Padme repeated. "Why would-" She was startled as Ahsoka threw herself against her. _Oh, that a Jedi is hugging a Senator_. Smiling, she wrapped her arms around the teen. "Everything's going to be okay. Maybe not now, but it will get better over time. You just have to let those who care about you help you." She leaned away, still smiling. "You need to go to Anakin. Especially since I have the feeling he's going to come knocking down my door demanding to know how you're doing because he'll be that worried."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "Yeesh, I don't need to wonder what it's like having a father. Anakin answers that question."

Padme laughed. "That does seem to be true."

Ahsoka stood, Padme following suit. "Thanks for putting up with me," she said as the two walked to the door.

The Senator rolled her eyes. "You needed to vent, it's no problem." She hesitated before continuing, "I think sometimes it's best to find other ways of letting go of your negative emotions instead of relying solely on the Force."

Ahsoka nodded before being compelled to add, "So long as they aren't stupid or violent means of action."

Padme smirked, "Exactly." She opened the door for Ahsoka and gave a mock "hurry it up" gesture. "All right young lady, off with you. Go find Anakin and talk to him."

"Okay," Ahsoka agreed. She stepped through the doorway and turned back to grin at Padme. "Better to get my lecture of the century over with now than later,"

Another eye roll from the Senator. "Right."

"Bye Padme!" Ahsoka called as she headed down the corridor.

"Good-bye, Ahsoka," Padme replied before closing her door.

* * *

><p>It didn't take long for Ahsoka to locate her master. Following their Force empowered bond, she found him in the hangar, studying the ship she, Artoo and Lux had been on. Boarding, she saw the specifics were revealed, he was studying the navigation computers. Echuta. She knew she should have erased that history.<p>

"So you decided to do a little self investigating after all?" She queried lightly.

"Carlacc?" Anakin asked in an equally light voice, not bothering to turn around. "I know that both Carlacc and Coruscant start with 'C' but I taught you well, you wouldn't mix up coordinates."

Ahsoka silently let out a rush of breath. No matter how prepared she was, she knew this conversation wouldn't be easy. "Master," her voice was soft. "It wasn't me who put in those coordinates." Inwardly she grimaced. _Wonderful Ahsoka, throw your friend under the metaphoric speeder, why don't you? _

"So he kidnapped you," Anakin concluded, voice dark.

She tried to lighten the situation. "It's not like he was after me, Skyguy. He just needed the ship."

Anakin turned around. "He took you somewhere and it was not of your own volition. Snips, that's called kidnapping, regardless of what he needed."

She sighed, "Yes, Master."

The aforementioned master eyed her healing bruises, they were just adding fuel to the fire and began to make him truly believe that Obi-Wan's concern of her being taken advantage of wasn't an impossibility. He shook his head. He knew better. He knew his Padawan better than anyone else, she wouldn't have let something like that happen to her. Still, a kernel of doubt blossomed in the back of his mind and a voice whispered, _right_?

"What happened, Ahsoka?" Anakin asked. "What kind of trouble did he drag you into?"

Ahsoka pressed her lips together as she thought of the best way to launch into her explanation. Why was it easier to tell Padme what had happened versus telling her own master? Padme's words echoed in her mind. _"You need to trust him. He'll understand."_

Sensing Anakin's impatience, Ahsoka began with a question. "Do you remember Senator Mina Bonteri?"

"I've heard of the late Senator," Anakin acknowledged. "But I didn't know her personally."

"Do you remember that she was killed?" At Anakin's nod, she continued. "Lux showed up at the peace negotiations decrying the Separatists and declaring that it had been Count Dooku who had orchestrated his mother's murder. A move that had nearly gotten him killed."

"Naturally, you rescued him," Anakin interrupted with a proud and somewhat teasing smile.

Ahsoka looked at him warily..._Did he know...?_

Her master rolled his eyes. "I could tell you two were friends because you were so quick to brush off his apology he had made earlier." He grew serious again. "Now tell me how you wound up on Carlacc."

The Padawan bit her lip before answering in a whisper. "Lux shocked me with a taser and I lost the battle with consciousness." She watched as Anakin tensed, but like Padme, stayed silent. "When I came to, I saw that Lux had taken the ship as well as Artoo and myself to Carlacc. I also saw that he felt the need to liberate me of my light sabers. I didn't know why until I had disembarked and earned that he had aligned himself with Death Watch."

And just like Padme, Anakin chose that moment to interrupt. "I'm sorry, but did you say Death Watch?" Unlike Padme's outburst however, his voice was lower, softer and in Ahsoka's opinion, scarier. She nodded slowly.

"What the kriff was that boy thinking?" he growled. "He could've gotten you all killed!"

Ahsoka became irritated, there was that lack of faith in her again. As if reading her mind, Anakin looked at her with a touch of exasperation. "It's not a lack of faith, Snips," he insisted. "It's called concern."

Ahsoka managed a small smile. "I was concerned too."

"Yeah, I can imagine," Anakin replied wryly. "So how did you manage to survive as a Jedi in the presence of those terrorists?"

His apprentice looked away. "Oh," she began in her best nonchalant voice. "I had a cover story. I, uh...told them I was...Lux's fiancée."

"And they bought it?" Anakin's voice was devoid of emotion. It was a viable excuse, but that he didn't mean he had to like that she had said that.

Ahsoka maintained her casual front. "Well, one them thought I was a little skinny, not like I was going to apologize for having a fast metabolism. But other than that yeah. I mean, the leader kept referring to me as Lux's woman," she rolled her eyes.

Anakin frowned. "It all seems a little too easy," he said. "There's no way that you would so easily be accepted as Lux's betrothed without prior contact. I've dealt with Death Watch before, I know how they are."

"Well, maybe they've changed," Ahsoka suggested, uneasy at what might have to come up. "Maybe they've mellowed out."

Anakin shot her a suspicious glance. "Any possibility Lux had a ring on him that he gave to you?"

Wanting to lie, she inwardly growled as her body disobeyed her and her head shook in the negative. Her voice was the next to rebel. "We did manage to prove it however."

"Oh?"

Ahsoka glanced around frantically, looking for a place to hide. She silently cursed Lux for taking the escape pod, that would've been ideal! Apparently her mental shields had long since weakened since she felt the familiar tingling sensation that came when her master probed her thoughts. "Ahsoka..." Force, she couldn't stand that "last warning" tone!

"He...he kissed me," she revealed.

Anakin was silent, absorbing her words. So Lux had kissed Ahsoka. Of course, it was for cover, but that one sentence alone explained everything. Why she was so guarded when she returned to Coruscant, why there was hurt in her eyes that bled through the shields she had put up. And why she was terrible at feigning casual interest when asking Obi-Wan about breaking attachments. Obi-Wan was right. Ahsoka had formed one to Lux Bonteri.

Then again, it probably wasn't that simple. The kiss alone couldn't have been the only answer. Anakin had said they interacted twice. Their time together must have caused feelings that ran deeper than any mere kiss could have ignited. That pain came from missing him and of course Anakin knew, understood, how she felt.

He just wished it wasn't Ahsoka, _his_ Padawan, to be the one to have an attachment. At least not until she was a Knight. No, even then Anakin wouldn't be happy about it. She may not be under his guardianship at that point in the future, but he'd still see her as such.

Unbidden, a memory of a passing comment Obi-Wan had once said came to the forefront of his mind. _"I don't think you realize how alike the two of you have become." _Well, he had a clear idea _now_.

Ahsoka was getting antsy. She had just told her master of all people that Lux, a former _Separatist _had kissed her, a Jedi. He had been silent for far too long for her liking. "Master?" She asked, tentatively.

Anakin knew the question before she asked, answering it. "I'm...not exactly thrilled...that you formed an attachment, but I know it would be hypocritical of me to scold you for it. The better question is, are you okay?"

"I'm still confused," Ahsoka admitted. "And a little scared. I think it's attachment, but...Padme thinks it's love." She winced, waiting for Anakin's yell.

"Unfortunately, I think it's love too," Anakin replied. She shot him a desperate look. "Snips, relax. Breathe. It's something you don't need to lose your sanity over. It'll be okay, so long as you don't obsess over him and remember to focus the task on hand and that we're at war, you can live with it." He managed a cocky smile. "Plus, you can count on me to not rat you out to the Council."

"Padme said if there was anyone who understood, it would be you," she looked up at him through her eyelashes, the best way she could hide.

Oh how Anakin wished to go the easy, if not cowardly way and deflect that belief to Obi-Wan. He understood too and he'd handle it with diplomatic thoroughness. However Anakin was the master in this partnership and Ahsoka was his Padawan. She'd been open with him, it was his turn to be open with her.

"Master?" He looked at the teen. "Does whoever caused you that pain that was in your eyes have anything to do with this?"

"My mother," Anakin answered quietly. "I'm not sure if you heard, but when I came to the temple with Master Obi-Wan, I was nine. I had a long time with my mother, far longer than any youngling has ever been granted. I missed her everyday and was plagued with visions telling me that her life was in danger." His mouth formed a grim line. "By the time I returned to her, it was too late. She passed away in my arms."

Ahsoka did her best not to cry. Why was there so much tragedy in the universe? She reached a hand toward Anakin but hesitated. "Master, I..."

"There's no need to say, 'I'm sorry', Snips," Anakin assured her. "Never understood that as a sign of sympathy anyway. Always thought it was an admission to guilt."

Ahsoka managed to lay a hand on her mentor's shoulder. "That's kinda true. But at least know that I'm always here for you."

"I know, Snips," Anakin murmured. "I know." He also knew they weren't finished with this conversation. He could sense that Ahsoka's worries weren't completely alleviated. He had given her a half explanation. Yes, it had been the truth, but she still felt alone. The question was, could he really burden her with such a secret of his?

Ahsoka sensed his indecision. "There's more to tell, isn't there?"

Anakin hesitated, not willing to answer his Padawan. Ahsoka was good, she was trustworthy, she had her own troubles to deal, why should he add to it? "Ahsoka..."

When she didn't respond, he glanced up to see that she was far off for the moment, head tilted, eyes glazed, lips moving silently telling him that she was puzzling something out. He raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Snips?"

She looked back at him, calculating expression still in place. "You have an attachment to Senator Amidala, don't you?" Her voice was curious, almost amused, not at all accusing. "That's why she said you'd understand my worries about my attachment to Lux.

Anakin paled slightly, he tried to remain neutral. "What makes you say that?"

Ahsoka laughed, "It actually makes sense. Come to think of it, I'm surprised I didn't notice it earlier." At Anakin's silent request for more information, she smiled wryly. "Subtlety isn't exactly your specialty, Master. Particularly when it comes to the Senator. There's this warmth that enters your voice when you speak to her and your eyes seem to be for her and her alone." She looked away then, thinking of the way her own heart pounded when Lux looked at her like that.

Once again, just like with Obi-Wan, Anakin knew he had to be careful. '_Sorry, Snips, I do trust you, but this is just something I can't tell you.' _"Senator Amidala has been a friend of mine since I was a child, before I came to the temple in fact. I guess you could say that we're attached and it's something I'm not upset with. I care for her and she cares for me. In all honesty, having that bond with Padme keeps me grounded."

Ahsoka nodded in understanding. "You do seem rather...lighter...whenever you're in each other's presence. Like she takes away whatever troubles you're dealing with." She smiled. "And just like you told me, you have my word that I will not reveal any of this to the Council."

Anakin grinned back, feeling a weight that he hadn't known was there lift. "Thank you, Ahsoka." He then became serious, the Master once again. "Now that we've gotten that discussion taken care of, mind finishing up that explanation of how you, Artoo and Bonteri got away from the Death Watch?"

Ahsoka's smile faded. "Let's just say the sleemos showed their true colors." The moment of Tryla's death once again invaded her memory and she couldn't help the flash of grief that crossed her face.

Anakin became concerned. "Ahsoka?" He laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I made a friend, Master, briefly. Her name was Tryla. I was caught off guard and too far away when she was murdered. The Death Watch then torched her village. Torched _people! _All because her grandfather, the chieftain, stood up for himself and the village. They laughed, it was sickening. I managed to snap out of the shocked state I had been in and wound up revealing myself as a Jedi."

Her smile was grim. "The near execution was worth it." She ignored her master's soft growl. "But Artoo came to the rescue along with some droids he had just patched up, I managed to disarm the leader and Lux drove the fighter back to the ship. That's when he took the escape pod, saying the Republic couldn't help him find justice for his mother's murder and that I knew that."

Anakin took in her words. Justice for his mother's murder? And Bonteri winds up in a world of violence, dragging someone that he cares about along with him. Ah, kriff, the kid was just like him. He pushed that annoyance to the back of his mind and focused on his apprentice. "Are you going to be okay?"

Ahsoka nodded. "Thanks to the words of both you and Padme...Master Obi-Wan as well, I know this is a bond that won't simply go away over time, but I don't have let it consume and destroy me either. I just need to accept it, it's a part of me, it shows that I can be caring and compassionate which aren't bad things at all." She wrinkled her forehead. "I still don't get why the Council thinks it's bad."

"So long as you don't get distracted by focusing on one person and one emotion," Anakin advised. "I think you'll be fine." He continued in a teasing voice. "Now, don't miss Bonteri too much."

"Well, he did say that we'd cross paths one day," Ahsoka recalled.

Anakin focused on the viewport, an all too satisfied smile spreading across his face, "Good."

Blue eyes narrowed as Ahsoka frowned, oozing mistrust, "I don't like that smile."

His smile became a smirk. "You don't have to like it."

* * *

><p>First Star Wars: The Clones Wars story! I've been wanting to write this after watching "A Friend In Need". I hope I did a good job!<p>

Earlier I mentioned Luminara Unduli and Barris Offee. I could have also mentioned Aayla Secura, but I never got to watch the episode(s) she was in, couldn't find them either, so I just left her out. This story is long enough as it is!

The title doesn't really have anything to do with the story, does it? XD


	2. Warning from the Force

Hang the Code

Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine. Neither is The Jedi Path which will be making an appearance here.

* * *

><p>Chapter 2: Warning from the Force<p>

It was a fairly typical day within the Jedi temple as its occupants were oblivious of the glorious day and the sun that soaked the shining capital of Coruscant with its rays. The Jedi were busy, be it students in classes, in training rooms or Jedi Knights and Masters preparing for a mission.

Silence rang through most of the corridors, a meditative, nearly companionable silence. However, near the Knight/Padawan quarters, the quiet was shattered by one irate Padawan and her annoying, stubborn and practically smothering Master.

"Skyguy! I told you I was fine!" Ahsoka growled as she fought against Anakin who was practically dragging her down the hallway. "Don't you think you're being a bit ridiculous?"

"What I find ridiculous is coming back to the temple after a two week mission to find my Padawan both starved and half dead from exhaustion," Anakin shot back.

"So, I've lost a little weight!" Ahsoka exclaimed. "No big deal. If I'm not going to apologize to some creep from Death Watch for being thin, why should you make a fuss over it? As for being 'half dead with exhaustion', I'm fine! I've been sleeping. Really."

Skyguy shot her a look full of dry humor. "Snips, I'm the Master here and it's in the Master's job description to fuss. So forgive me for doing my job and caring about you."

"When you care about me, does that count as overtime?" His ever stubborn Padawan couldn't help but snipe.

Anakin's expression didn't change. "Just humor me, Snips."

Being the Ahsoka he knew, she made a big show of rolling her cerulean eyes and sighing dramatically. "Fine," she fake whined.

Anakin grinned. "Great," he replied, mimicking her tone. "Let's go," he gently pushed her forward, towards the mess hall.

As they walked, Ahsoka picked up on the worry her master was radiating and grew irritated under his scrutinizing stare. "What is it, Master?" She demanded. "You're looking at me like I'm going to keel over at any second. I told you, I'm fine."

Typical of her Master, that he wouldn't take her word just yet. "Any nightmares?" He pressed. Yeesh, she must have looked even worse than she thought.

She shook her head. "I've...been keeping busy," she inwardly cringed at how vague that sounded. She frowned as she took in the sudden light that came into Anakin's eyes. Apparently he just found some opportunity to tease her and he was going to seize it.

"Not late night on the phone love trysts with Lux Bonteri, I hope."

Ahsoka shot him a dirty glare. She had been trying for the past several weeks to keep her emotions in check when it came to Lux and Skyguy was not helping! What was really annoying about the whole thing was that Anakin didn't even like Lux, rather he just took an evil pleasure in teasing, more like tormenting, her when it came to her attachment to the former Senator.

Lips set into a deeper frown as she replied, "not funny." The butterflies in her stomach wouldn't cease, but she tried her best to keep her face clear of any other emotion besides irritation. He could sense she was tired, so she decided to blame her attitude on that if Anakin continued with his teasing.

"Oh you know it is," he laughed.

"Shut up!" Ahsoka snapped. "If anything, it's your fault I'm so tired."

"My fault?" Anakin raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

His Padawan's smirk was dangerous. "When you dream, Master, there are times when it's projected into my mind. Been missing a certain Senator lately, hm?"

Anakin's face drained of color for a minute before flushing dramatically. "A-and what exactly do you mean by that, Snips?"

Her smirk became a smile laced with sweet poison. "It means you're more gullible than I thought."

There was a moment of silence for Anakin's fallen dignity.

Ahsoka decided to make a graceful exit. "Oh, would you look at that? Time flies when you're having fun. Gotta go!" She ran off.

Anakin blinked as his mind raced to catch up after freezing from such a shock. "Why you little-!" He yelled, running after his Padawan. Gifted with long legs, he quickly caught up to her, grabbed her waist and tossed her over his shoulder, laughing at her indignant yelp.

"Master!" Ahsoka yelled. "Skyguy! Put me down! This isn't even close to being funny!"

"_This _is payback, Snips."

"Revenge 101, eh?" She quipped.

"Now, now my young Padawan," Anakin lightly admonished. "The Jedi are not all about revenge."

"This coming from you," Ahsoka retorted. "Where are you going anyway?"

"Where we were going in the first place," the mentor replied. "The mess hall. Looks like exhaustion messed with your coherence worse than I thought."

They reached the mess hall where he put her down with an unceremonious thump. "Could've been gentler," Ahsoka pouted as she stood. Rolling his eyes, Anakin pushed her toward the line where other Jedi stood getting their meal. One of his gloved hands placed food for his apprentice on a tray while the other one kept a firm grip on her shoulder, keeping her from escaping.

They left the line and chose a table off to the side. As they sat down, Anakin stared at her, silently demanding answers for her odd and worrying behavior which Ahsoka ignored as she focused on humoring him by eating her food with gusto. When she paused to take a drink, he grabbed the opportunity to bombard her with questions. "So are you going to tell me why you've been neglecting yourself? Why you haven't been eating or sleeping?"

"Not nightmares," she told him right away. "Not any secret phone calls." She pulled a computer chip out from a pouch on her belt and slid it toward him. "My secret project."

"This isn't meant to help the Separatists, is it?" Anakin bantered as he picked it up and examined it.

"It'll help the Republic against the Separatists."

"And what exactly _is _it?"

Ahsoka's striped lekku deepened in color as she looked away. "Aw, come on, Snips," Anakin cajoled gently. "I won't make fun."

"Promise?" She asked warily.

"Promise."

Ahsoka bit her lip, silent as she debated. Finally, she nodded, deciding she could trust him. "Well," she began. "You know how when a ship goes into hyperspace it virtually disappears from whatever sector it was in?"

"Yeah," Anakin nodded. "Anyone who's done space travel knows that."

She hesitated in continuing, knowing that her mechanical prowess was nowhere near as good as Anakin's. "What's your idea, Snips?" Her mentor asked with gentle curiosity.

"It's just..." Ahsoka sighed, then started again. "With the knowledge that ships disappear from view while entering and while _in _hyperspace, I thought we could use that knowledge to affect our ships that don't enter hyperspace and fight over planet side, you know, like a fighter and create a sort of cloaking device. It's only a prototype. I haven't quite figured out a way to make a fighter 'vanish' altogether, nor am I quite sure what needs to be done to make it undetectable to radar signals."

Ahsoka paused, groaning as her mind remembered one fact and placed her head down on the table, hiding her burning face.

Anakin frowned in concern. "What's wrong?"

"The Separatists have Force sensitives," she replied despondently. "They'd be able to feel us coming."

"Not all militant Separatists are Force sensitive," Anakin pointed out as he shook his Padawan's shoulder trying to coax her into lifting her head.

"But the big shots like Dooku are."

"I don't think Dooku will be able to inform all of his generals if we're fast enough," he palmed the device. "C'mon, Ahsoka, smile. This is a great idea, really clever."

"You mean that?" She peeked up at him.

"I wouldn't have said it if I meant otherwise. Besides, now that I know, I can help you get this project done faster. I gotta say, I'm a little jealous," Anakin admitted.

_That _got Ahsoka's attention. "You are?"

Skyguy nodded. "I think that deep down, my nine year old self is kicking me for not coming up with such an idea." He grinned as he saw Ahsoka crack a smile.

"I thought you were just into pods, not..." she shrugged, looking for the right words. "Sneaking around."

Anakin nearly bit his tongue out of panic. Force, all of the things his Padawan could say with total innocence that could reveal one of his largest secrets! Hoping he had been able to mask any fear that may have flickered, Anakin gave a shrug of his own. "I was a little boy, Snips. Little boys are into many different things. That's like me saying, I thought when you a little girl you were into toys, not lightsabers."

Ahsoka smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

"No harm done," Anakin replied. He was about to suggest that they go test out her device so he could inspect the programming for himself when his comm link went off. "This is Skywalker."

"Anakin-"

"Oh, hey Obi-Wan," Anakin greeted.

"Hello, to you too," Obi-Wan returned, unable to keep the indulgent tone out of his voice. "I assume Ahsoka is with you?"

"That I am, Master!" Ahsoka chimed.

"Excellent. The two of you are to report to the Council for a mission briefing."

"We'll be there as soon as possible," Anakin replied.

"You know Anakin, you say as soon as possible, but with you two being notorious with punctuality, I can't help but wonder what that truly means." Obi-Wan quipped dryly.

"Master, as you have told me in the past to have faith in Ahsoka, I ask you to have faith in me," Anakin shot back with eloquence.

"I shall endeavor to do my best," his former master answered, keeping the dry tone before ending the transmission.

"C'mon, my young Padawan," Anakin gestured as he stood. "The Council awaits us."

Ahsoka stood, but wore a frown on her face. "You needed to be told to have faith in me?"

"It was when those parasites attacked you and Barris on the return trip from Geonosis," Anakin recalled. "You hadn't checked in and I was worried, thinking something was wrong. Looks like I was right."

Feelings ameliorated, Ahsoka's shoulders relaxed, not having realized they were tense to begin with. She nodded and followed her Master out of the mess hall and toward the room where the Jedi Council convened. "What kind of mission do you think we'll be assigned?"

"Something to do with taking on a few Separatists, I hope," Anakin answered. "Preferably Grievous."

"I'm all for taking on General Tinny," Ahsoka said, rolling back her shoulders as if preparing to fight Dooku's minion right then.

Anakin smirked. "Not if I get to him first."

"I wouldn't worry about that Skyguy, what with how _old _and_ slow _you're getting." The light whack to her lekku only helped to make the Padawan dissolve into giggles.

"Obi-Wan is right," the young Knight grumped. "We _are_ too much alike. I only wonder how much of that is from my influence."

"I'd say quite a bit."

Both student and teacher looked up to see Obi-Wan waiting for them in front of the enormous doors that led to the meeting room. "Not just in mischief and wit," the Master continued. "Though there seems to be a lot of inspiration derived from that. Ahsoka has grown in terms of military tactics and political understanding as well."

"The thanks should go to Padme for that last part," Anakin corrected, Ahsoka nodding in agreement.

"Indeed," Obi-Wan acquiesced. "Come along, we mustn't keep the Council waiting any longer." He turned and entered the chamber, Anakin and Ahsoka following.

"Good it is, to see the both of you, Knight Skywalker and Padawan Tano," Grand Master Yoda greeted. "Undoubted, it is that Master Kenobi has already informed you, a mission briefing, this meeting is."

"He did," Anakin agreed.

"To Mandalore, both you and your Padawan will go, escort you shall, Senator Amidala." Ahsoka was about to question the necessity of having both of them travel to Mandalore with Padme, when she figured it was probably best to have extra security in case another meeting went south between the Republic and the Separatists. She did her best to prevent a blush from showing as she recalled her fierce want to attack the Separatist guards who had dragged Lux away.

Upon dismissal, Ahsoka was surprised to find a bit of a smirk on her Master's face and figured that there was more to it besides the prospect of seeing the pretty Senator from Naboo. Ahsoka faced him, hands on hips. "Okay, Master, what's with the smirk?"

"Nothing," Anakin replied with feigned nonchalance. "I just agree with the extra security."

"Because it's an opportunity to see Padme?" The Togruta teen quizzed, white eye mark raised.

_Careful, Skywalker. _Anakin warned himself. _Careful. Snips knows you have an attachment and she understands that. But there's probably only so much she'll understand. _"It's also because I can keep an eye on the two of you," Anakin continued aloud. His gaze became pointed. "No more sneaking off."

Leave it to Skyguy to hold onto that! Thank the Force he still didn't know of her lightsaber's "disappearing act". Ahsoka nearly pouted. "We were never in any danger!"

"You snuck onto a Separatist ship, held an _illegal_ meeting and got Padme's friend killed!" Anakin shot back. "Not to mention that this later led to your subsequent kidnapping!"

Ahsoka cringed, wishing that she could just curl in on herself and disappear. Better yet, she wished that she had been on that escape pod with Lux. She blinked and mentally shook herself. Nevermind, scratch that last thought. Her Master would've eventually found her and his fury would've been even worse.

She guessed that she was showing some sort of grief on her face because Anakin's face gentled and he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry Ahsoka, I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. I was just so worried that day. That wasn't even your fault. Padme told me she asked you to help her." He sighed. "I need to work on my trust in people. Especially the people I care about." A gentle squeeze to her shoulder. "Think you can forgive me, Snips?"

Ahsoka nodded and have him a weak smile despite her feeling a bit like the lowest of the low. "I think we should meet up with Padme now."

As she led the way, Anakin frowned, hoping it would've been easier to mend the rift he had inadvertently created. He caught up to her, hand returning to his shoulder. "Ahsoka, I meant my apology. I shouldn't have let my anger get the best of me. It's not fair to you and it's not fair to our partnership. You mean a lot to me, Snips. I don't want us to drift away because of something petty."

"Worry isn't petty, Skyguy," Ahsoka said. "I do forgive you. I-" she shrugged, exhaling sharply. "I'm a teenager. We're more sensitive than we look."

"I know," Anakin replied. "I should really know. After all, Obi-Wan and I have had our rocky moments because I was so emotional." He tilted his head, looking at his Padawan through his unruly light brown locks. "Are we okay?"

Ahsoka took a breath, closing her eyes. She concentrated and Anakin could feel her releasing the hurt and regret she felt into the Force. When she opened her eyes, her smile was brighter. "We're good, Skyguy. But we really oughta be meeting with Padme now."

"Right," he conceded. "No racing," came the light admonishment.

"Ah, you're just worried I leave you choking on my..." she trailed off, biting her lip as guilt swept through her.

"Dust, Snips," Anakin finished. "You can say the word dust. I'll have you know I never choked on said dust, thank you. And as you also well know, I was a champ-"

"You know, maybe I should just leave you behind so I don't have to hear millennia old stories."

"Oy!" Anakin snapped, half-offended. "Don't you know how to be serious."

"I think being your Padawan answers that question," Ahsoka replied with a wicked grin.

* * *

><p>Senator Padme Amidala awaited the arrival of two of the only three Jedi she felt most comfortable traveling with whilst on Senatorial duty. She smiled at the sight of Anakin and Ahsoka walking up the ramp to meet her, yet became concerned when she took in Ahsoka. The girl was thinner than usual, with her clothes hanging slightly off her frame, shadows under her eyes and was it her imagination or could she see one of the teen's ribs making an impression through the crimson material?<p>

She shifted her gaze over to Anakin, the concern in her eyes now tinted with accusation. Granted, Ahsoka wasn't her daughter and she was seventeen, but Padme still cared about her and if Anakin was in someway neglecting her, then Padme was going to make sure he got it through his head that Ahsoka's health was not something to be trifled with.

However, when her gaze met her husband's, she saw it was understanding, a light smile playing his lips as he gave a subtle signal that he'd explain to her what was going on soon enough. She smiled and greeted Ahsoka amicably before allowing the teen to walk on ahead to the ship.

"So, Master Skywalker," Padme began in the usual covert way of speaking freely with Anakin. "Mind telling me why your Padawan seems so unlike herself?"

Anakin couldn't help but chuckle at Padme's formal tone. "Actually Senator Amidala, it's really nothing for concern. Ahsoka had an idea and got a little...shall we say, overzealous in executing the idea as a prototype."

This piqued her curiosity. "What idea?"

"Mm, a device to simulate entry into hyperspace as a means of stealth cloaking so that way the Republic holds the element of surprise." Anakin's grin was wide as he recalled the cleverness of Ahsoka's innovation.

"That's very creative," Padme replied, impressed. "But what do you mean by 'overzealous'?"

"Well," Here, Anakin became a bit sheepish. "I was away on a two week mission without the requirement of Ahsoka's presence, so she took the time to use this idea and...kinda forgot to eat and sleep. I did manage to drag her to the cantina once I found out," he added hastily. "And I'll make sure that she sleeps on the way to Mandalore."

"Some days I'm not sure if you're her mentor or her father," Padme teased.

"Says the lady who nearly acted like a mother dune cat protecting her threatened young," Anakin shot back.

"I'm like you Ani," his wife said quietly so no one would hear the endeared nickname. "Like you, I care about her."

Anakin's smile was warm. "I know." He then became all business. "All right, after I check in with the crew, I'll go see if 'our' youngling is going to listen to me and sleep." Padme laughed as her husband left, moving to find a seat for herself.

* * *

><p>As it turned out, Anakin needn't have worried, for he found Ahsoka fast asleep in an alcove not too far from the bridge. He gave a gentle stroke to her lekku before going to find Padme.<p>

Ahsoka frowned as she took in the scene that her subconscious unfurled for her. Why was she back on Raxus? Was the Force trying to tell her to relax? That Lux had returned home. Her heart ached. He had no family left. Both of his parents were killed. All because of this war and their desire to see peace sprung from it.

She found herself smiling bitterly. Perhaps she was beginning to understand why Lux put so little faith in others, she doubted she would be willing to rely on people who were taught different values than she, particularly after she had lost those who she cared the most about. It would be like having the galaxy against you.

"You see?" Ahsoka turned to see Lux standing behind her, confident smile in place and green-grey eyes alight with a playful glow. Ahsoka wanted to return the grin, but she couldn't shake the sense of growing dread that was starting to enshroud her. What was happening? What was _going _to happen and why did it feel like it was going to shatter both of them?

Apparently Lux didn't share her worry as he came to stand beside her, looking at the setting sun as it slowly dipped behind the rolling hills. "I told you this place wasn't so bad."

Though the foreboding sensation wouldn't leave her alone, Ahsoka answered him anyway. "I never said this _planet _was bad, it was the people that seemed questionable."

"Well, look at me," Lux replied, holding out his arms in a show that he had nothing to hide. "I'm not so bad, am I?"

_Silly, overconfident boy._

Ahsoka didn't bother to stop the warm grin that spread across her face. This memory would never get old and she hoped it wouldn't fade away for either of them. "No," she answered honestly. "Not bad at all." She turned back to watch the sunset again, smoothly returning to the previous topic. "You know, I would even dare to call to call this place beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you are," Lux replied, hand slipping into hers. She didn't fight it, this was a dream, a realm all to herself. She didn't quite fight the wrinkle to her nose either, she being "more beautiful than a sunset" was a terrible cliché, but that was vintage Lux. Why argue with the boy?

The unease worked its way back into the forefront of her mind, slithering its way into her heart and wrapped around her soul. She squeezed Lux's hand, eyes darting around, scanning for something, anything to jump out at them. Half expected something terrible to grow and loom from the thrown shadows created by the sun's fading rays that were still smoothing over the hills. Nothing. Everything was peaceful and it looked to be a romantic scene for a pair of typical things.

But that was the thing, they weren't typical teens. She was a Jedi, a Learner training to become a Knight, bound to protecting the universe and those who lived in it. (Save for the Sith, of course.) He was a former Separatist, temporarily a Senator, wandering the Galaxy searching for both closure and justice. So different yet very similar and drawn to each other despite the age old disapproval and ramifications that could be coming their way.

And perhaps soon.

"Are you all right?" Lux watched her, concern in her eyes.

She made sure her face was neutral as she looked back at him. "Yeah, sure. Why?"

His look became slightly amused. "Because you're breathing a bit erratically and you're kinda squeezing my hand a bit tight there."

Laughing sheepishly, Ahsoka let go of his hand, apologizing. She hadn't realized she was still gripping his hand, let alone breathing differently. This was Dreamland, it did make one unaware of the obvious at times. But maybe for Ahsoka this was proving to also be the case in reality for Anakin was worried about her health and had been adamant that he made sure she was taking care of herself.

But was literally dragging her to the cantina all that necessary?

Ahsoka took a deep breath and smiled once more. "I'm fine, Lux." She reassured him. "There's just...something up with the Force. Some kind of warning."

"What is it?"

A sigh escaped the teen Jedi. "I'm not sure."

"Well, whatever it is," Lux said. "You won't have to worry about facing it alone. I mean, I did drag you to Carlac to face Death Watch didn't I?"

"I wasn't exactly part of your plans," Ahsoka returned wryly.

"No, but still, I was glad that you were there."

Was Lux glad that she had been there? To save his skin at least. To prevent him from living a life he would have never have wanted to live had he been made to fully align himself with Death Watch.

The memory of Tryla's murder and the subsequent burning of her village was never going to leave her.

Lux gripped her hand again and Ahsoka could see the truth to his words within his eyes. She sincerely hoped it wasn't her subconscious toying with her heart. She found herself abandoning her doubts as Lux leaned close for a kiss, one that didn't have the double reaction of being a distraction as well as fuel to a fabrication.

However, before lips could meet, a sinister voice rang out. "Well done Jedi-Girl, you've brought him back to me." It dripped with false concern. Shadows flew out, clawed corporeal hands gripping Lux and pulling him back.

Sheer terror was painted on the boy's face, raw hurt blossoming in his eyes. "You...you were a part of this?"

"What?" Ahsoka cried. "No, no! A part of what?" She looked around him, still spying nothing but those awful shadows. "Show yourself!" She commanded. Whipping out her lightsabers and igniting them, she tried futilely to cut him free, but the shadows became even more insistent at claiming the boy as their prisoner.

"You betrayed me Ahsoka!" Lux cried. "You betrayed me!"

"No! No I didn't!" Ahsoka insisted, tears beginning to cloud her vision. "Lux, I would never hurt you! Come back!"

* * *

><p>Ahsoka snapped out of the nightmare with a strangled gasp. "Ugh," she groaned, dropping her head into her hands. "What in the universe kind of dream was that?" Betray Lux? No, never. And yet the Force seemed to be hinting at doing otherwise. Well, now that she had been forewarned, she knew not to do that, not that she needed to be guided away from betrayal as it was. But what was with that creepy voice? It was male, that was for certain. And what did those shadows symbolize?<p>

Ahsoka was startled out of her reverie when she felt a weight dip the cushion seated on and heard a soft voice call her name. She turned to see Padme's concerned brown eyes studying her. "Hi, Padme," she greeted the Senator.

"Are you all right?" Padme asked.

Ahsoka sighed inwardly, wondering if either Anakin had ratted her out or if she had cried out during her dream. Normally she silently suffered from her nightmares and wouldn't know if Anakin was aware of her distress unless he mentioned the disturbance in the Force around her the next morning or if it was he himself pulling her from her tortuous subconscious.

As for ratting her out because she had blown off taking basic care of herself, she wouldn't put it past him. Not that it was something to be upset over...if she hadn't been neglecting herself anyway. "I'm fine," she replied a little too sweetly for the older woman raised an eyebrow, betraying her skepticism.

"Anakin has already explained to me the reason for your tiredness and lost weight," Padme began in a voice not unlike a mother who found out her child was skipping out on homework.

Gee thanks, Skyguy!

She was distracted from her annoyance when she noticed Padme's smile. "You're getting to be Anakin's little duplicate," the Senator teased.

"I am not," Ahsoka grumbled good naturedly. "I'm Ahsoka Tano, I have my own identity."

"But some of your personality does stem from Anakin," Padme replied, tapping the teen on the nose. "Although, I am surprised that he didn't come up with such a device on his own."

"He told me that," Ahsoka recalled. "He said that his nine year old self would be annoyed with him."

The Senator laughed. "I can imagine that." She then grew serious. "We're getting off topic. You're upset Ahsoka. I can tell. What's wrong?"

The Padawan sighed. Truth be told, she was happy to forget. If for a brief moment. She remained silent as she tried to sort through what she was feeling and what was the best way to convey it to her friend.

"I'm worried," she confessed. "I have the feeling that something bad is going to happen to someone I care about."

She exhaled shakily. "I don't want to lose anyone."

Padme realized that Ahsoka never had to deal with the painful blow death often delivered. Yes, Anakin had come close to death and Obi-Wan's was staged, but they hadn't "become one with the Force". Even Padme herself had survived her assassination attempt, something that had plagued Ahsoka through nightmares. She discreetly studied the girl, wondering if the shadows under her eyes were from more than merely obsessing over a project.

Ahsoka laughed weakly. "Maybe it's just the exhaustion talking."

"Have you been able to sleep?"

"Not much," Ahsoka admitted.

"Because you fear something bad will happen if you do?" Padme gently pressed.

"Actually this particular fear only recently began," the teen replied. "I don't want to sleep because I don't want to dream and I don't want to remember."

"Remember?"

"Him. Lux. If I'm thinking about him, I'm either depressed because I miss him or I'm insanely happy." Granted, that dream she had just had wasn't _all_ bad. Ahsoka blew out a breath. "I haven't found balance yet so I've thrown myself into work effectively distracting myself from him...not that it's completely successful."

Padme laid a hand on Ahsoka's shoulder. "We've discussed this, Ahsoka. It's okay to care for people outside of the Jedi."

Ocean eyes fell to gaze upon light sunset colored hands folded in her lap. "Sk-Master Anakin said the same thing.

He also added so long as I didn't obsess, I'd be okay."

The Senator smiled softly. "Well, I believe if you're able to throw yourself into work then you don't need to worry about losing yourself to obsession."

"But aren't I obsessing about worrying about obsession?"

"Now you're just being silly."

Ahsoka wanted to retort that she was a teenager and therefore had every right to be silly. But Padme was right. This worry was ridiculous. She took a breath, making an extra effort to ensure that all of her negative feelings were released into the Force.

As if she could hear the teen's thoughts, her political mentor continued. "Relax, Ahsoka. We're en route to Mandalore which is politically neutral ground and everyone on this ship is positively affiliated with Duchess Satine."

This was true, Ahsoka decided as she nodded. She could handle this mission. Fighting with herself for inner balance would come later. "All I have to do is make sure peace is returned should anything go awry between Senators at this meeting."

"Exactly."

"Although something tells me though that the only thing to go awry is a strand of your hair coming loose from that elaborate arrangement," Ahsoka couldn't help but quip as she looked pointedly at Padme's hair.

The former queen laughed outright at that. "You should've seen what tricks my hair was forced to pull back on Naboo," she replied, thinking of her hairstyle during her coronation.

"Did it hurt?" Ahsoka asked, partially concerned, partially curious.

"Yes and no," Padme replied. "Luckily most of the styles came with false hair pieces."

"Ah," the teen nodded. It was slightly strange, having a talk about hair when she was born with lekku, headtails for those unfamiliar with the Togrutan term. But hey, she was the one to bring up the topic.

Before the two could keep talking, Anakin stepped over to where they were seated. "Sorry to interrupt your conversation, but we're almost to Mandalore. You ready?" Both nodded.

Padme then received a call on her comm that she took while Anakin walked with his Padawan back to the bridge, the latter wary that he'd scrutinize and fuss over her health again—hey, she _slept_!—but knew it was unfair of her to keep having Padme act as a buffer between the two.

"You okay?" Anakin asked. The concern was there, it was always there. But luckily it wasn't thick, so it didn't annoy her like it did earlier.

"I had a dream," she admitted. "One that was...very confusing."

"How so?"

Inwardly, Ahsoka winced. She didn't like going into detail about her dreams, not if she could get away with it. Yet the dream had seemed like a warning from the Force and despite her strong desire to keep the rather typical teen dream to herself, she knew that Anakin hated lying and that there was little she could get past him as it was. Maybe a filtered version could satisfy him.

"I was on Raxus," Ahsoka began, keeping her voice casual. "With Lux. It seemed like a memory at first, but then something felt off. Sinister. Shadows came from out of nowhere and began dragging Lux away as this voice commended me for helping him." She frowned. "I have no idea who it was or what he meant, let alone why he was after Lux."

Anakin too, frowned, his face etched in concentration. "A sinister presence," he repeated. "The voice was male?" He checked. "And appeared to be after Bonteri?" His Padawan nodded. "Do you think it's Death Watch out for revenge?"

Ahsoka shook her head. "No, the voice, it wasn't the same. The voice belonging to Visla, that was cruel and almost seemed to cackle whenever he ended a sentence. The voice in my dream was dark too, but weird because it seemed kind of caring-in a mocking way. As if it made of honeyed poison. Seemingly sweet and trusting, but lethal in the end."

"Sounds like it could be a Sith," Anakin mused.

"I was the first Jedi Lux ever met," Ahsoka pointed out. "How would he manage to find a Sith lord that would aid him in getting revenge on Dooku, a political figure?"

"He's a political puppeteer by _day_," Anakin interjected through clenched teeth.

The Togruta teen nodded her acquiescence and continued. "That would seem kind of petty to the average person, not to mention _suicidal_. Sith lords aren't exactly villains, or in Lux's case, vigilantes for hire."

"True," the Knight sighed. "This is getting difficult to puzzle out, Snips. Tell you what, why don't you try to put it out of your mind for now and when this Senatorial mission is over, you can meditate on it when we're returning to Coruscant."

"I guess I have to," Ahsoka relented. "Can't exactly obsess over the unknown. Perhaps things will become clearer as time goes on. Who knows? Maybe it was just a weird dream after all."

Anakin frowned at her choice of words as old wounds began to suddenly reopen. "Never brush off your dreams, Ahsoka," he advised.

Recognizing what was giving her mentor such a terse edge to his words, Ahsoka became abashed. "Sorry," she murmured. "I just..."

"You're worried because you have yet to find inner balance and because you don't want to seem crazed," Anakin continued for her. "I know," his voice was soothing and he gave a gentle squeeze to her shoulder. "Don't worry. It's okay to care for others and I know you Ahsoka, you're dedicated to whatever is the situation at hand, making sure to see things through to the end. You'll be fine."

As she listened to Anakin's reassurances, Ahsoka couldn't help but flash back to a slim book bound in cerulean blue that held the guidelines of becoming a Jedi, living that lifestyle and the comments littered about its worn pages, words written by the Jedi of old and words written by Master Skywalker himself.

She remembered a particular comment from Anakin: _"I miss people from outside the Order and would do anything to protect them. Does that make me a bad person?" _

Ahsoka had cheekily written underneath: _"Skyguy does have a heart after all!"_

When focusing on what Anakin had said, he was questioning the Code and Ahsoka realized that she was doing the same thing. She had protected Padme from Aurra Sing and Lux from Death Watch, though admittedly, that one had been a team effort, yet no one within the Order had suffered from her decisions. Could it be that the Jedi from the past had been wrong?

Anakin's voice broke through her thoughts. "Careful with the heavy thinking there, Snips. You might give yourself a headache."

She shot him an irritated scowl. "Hilarious."

He gave a satisfied nod, "I thought so."

Blue eyes flicked toward the doorway. "I wonder what's taking Padme so long with that call."

Anakin shrugged. "Must be important."

Just then the aforementioned Senator swept into the bridge, an irritated scowl marring her pretty face. "Oh, I can't believe this," she whispered harshly.

Concern, thy name is Anakin. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"Bail Organa just called," she began. "He wanted to give me a warning as to who the new Senator of Raxus is."

At the name of the planet, Ahsoka tensed, wary. "Who is it?"

"Damien Thorne, Mina's younger brother," Padme answered. "I could never stand that man. So narrow minded and disagreeable and now he has a place within the Separatist Senate, this cannot go well."

Ahsoka frowned, she didn't know the late Senator Bonteri had a brother. That meant that Lux had an uncle. Narrow minded and disagreeable...

"Let me guess, he's a fan of Dooku?"

Padme gave her an amused smile. "Remember, Mina was also a 'fan' of Dooku. Though not like Damien. Very strict in keeping away from the Republic, always believing us to be the cause of the galaxy's misery. I'm surprised that he will be attending this meeting. I thought that he would never get involved in negotiations. Particularly when the subject is peace."

_Galaxy's misery, huh? _Ahsoka couldn't help but think. Her mind flashed back to her bizarre dream. _"Well done Jedi-Girl...Ahsoka! How could you! You betrayed me!" _A chill ran down her spine. Could this new Senator have been the source of that voice? It was a strong possibility given that in her dream, Lux knew who that voice belonged to.

There was a slim chance of avoiding Damien Bonteri at the meeting, after all, Anakin was with them this time. He could stand beside Padme while she's with the other Republic Senators while Ahsoka herself could watch things from the back, observing at a distance. Perhaps if she stuck close to the shadows, the new Senator wouldn't be able to spot her and she could avoid this whole mess altogether.

But then why did it feel like he would find other ways to get to Lux and why was he after his nephew in the first place. From the way Padme ranted about him, she doubted he was much of a family man.

_I won't let you harm Lux, _Ahsoka silently vowed. _The same goes to Anakin and Padme. I won't let you harm anyone innocent just so you can satisfy whatever sadistic whims you may have. I can't...I _won't!

Determination and strength coursing through her, the Jedi Padawan stood taller, her mind clearer and her heart calmer as she strode out of the cruiser alongside Anakin and Padme.

* * *

><p>Sorry for the two month wait! I was so stuck for a while. I'm still fairly new to the Star Wars universe, well, to anything outside the Clone Wars anyway so I'm still not entirely confident on my characterization of some of the cast here. Any constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated!<p>

A few more notes.

I know Ahsoka's invention is weird. That was me being curious and kind of asking and answering my own question. And truth be told, I don't care how silly it sounds! She's doing things in fanfics that don't exist in that universe! Drinking soda, painting her nails, being concerned about make-up...that's the beauty of fanfiction, you can make things up!

Sorry about drawing a quote from Daughter, not very original, but hey, it sounded good to me.

Also, I know it's kind of a lull in the action (and it's a really bad chapter) but things will be picking up next chapter. More from Damien and possibly an appearance from another Bonteri. They were supposed to show up here, but this thing was getting long and I was running out of ideas and didn't want to sound redundant.

Also, in case anyone didn't understand Anakin's "by day" quote, it's kinda like with Superman. "Mild mannered reporter by day...Superman by night!" Though...he does battle when the sun is still out as well. Hmm...

I hope you like _something_ from this chapter. Please review, any help is totally welcome. Thank you to StarWarsRocksMySocks, Socrates'Prodigy, ManaTheCatMagician and I believe Dino Green gets a thank you for putting up with me during this process. You're all sanity savers!


	3. Indecent Proposal

Hang the Code

Disclaimer: Star Wars: The Clone Wars is owned by Mr. George Lucas, not by Miss Effervescent Dreamer.

Author's Note( 5/31/12): Sorry to those who think this is a new update. I am merely correcting a...repeated...mistake. IluvBatman brought it to my attention that if Lux's uncle was Mina's brother, he wouldn't have her married name which is assumed to be Bonteri. Therefore in the previous chapter I had given her the maiden name of Thorne, his last name. Something that I've completely forgotten but I'm going through this chapter and correcting this mistake. Sorry for the annoyance!

* * *

><p>Chapter 3: Indecent Proposal<p>

_Relax, _Ahsoka told herself. _Relax. _Standing in the Great Hall within Duchess Satine's palace, the Padawan was nearly overwhelmed by the thick tension that permeated the air. Ahsoka bet that if she were able to cut through the tension with her lightsaber, there would still be a layer of unease beneath. Seated in neat rows that were positioned from across one another were the Senators, representatives of both the Republic and the Separatists.

Glancing over at Padme, Ahsoka noticed that she sat poised, pulled to her fullest height, an expression of calm on her face, one that the teen couldn't quite tell if it were true or a facade. Padme's brown eyes were observing the opposing Senators whom also appeared placid. Looking away from her friend, Ahsoka discreetly studied her Master. He too, stood tall with his shoulders back and hands clasped behind his back. Ice blue eyes roved the room, looking for any possible signs of a threat. She suppressed a smile as she knew that Anakin would throw himself to shield Padme should danger strike.

Taking a deep breath, Ahsoka mimicked Anakin's stance, joining him in silent observation. As the proceedings began, the speeches fell to a buzz within her montrals as she sensed someone staring at her. Eyes flicking over to where the Separatist Senators were seated, they settled on a man who did not look unlike Lux, making him seem morbidly handsome.

There _were_ differences, oh were there differences. For starters, he was taller, perhaps as tall as Anakin with a broader body, not that much older than Skyguy either. His eyes were of steel flint and they were calculating, they watched her in almost the same manner a dune cat stalked a mouse. There was a smirk that played about his lips and while Lux's had a boyish cockiness to it, this man's cruel and almost feral.

After what felt like an eternity to Ahsoka, Damien Thorne finally looked away and began a low conversation with a man from his own security detail. Anakin who had taken note of Damien staring at his student, shifted closer to Ahsoka, subtly pushing her back into the shadows. It was one of those scarce moments when Ahsoka was grateful to her Master for being protective and took a breath, trying to repress a shudder.

It seemed that Padme too, had noticed Damien watching Ahsoka and decided to call him out on it. "Senator Thorne, is there any reason why you seem to be so fixated on my security team? Surely you've seen a Jedi before at least once in your lifetime."

"Ah, but Senator Amidala, isn't it a bit arrogant to have _two_ Jedi within your corner?" Damien asked. Ahsoka failed to hold back another shudder. His voice sounded silky, yet it made her feel like her body was covered in slime. It was all she could do to not writhe in disgust. "Let alone one? Do you not have faith in your own captain and his guard?"

Padme's eyes narrowed, her voice even, ever inch of her that of _Queen_ Amidala. "Padawan Tano and Knight Skywalker are not just here for my benefit, Senator. They are here to protect everyone within these walls who may be endangered should such a problem ever arise. Their presence was requested by the Jedi Council and I agreed because I know them both to be capable of doing their job of maintaining peace. Now if you don't mind, may we please return to the subject at hand for it is our job to see that peace be achieved within the entire _galaxy _and not merely this room."

Senator Thorne gave another arrogant smile as he nodded his head, gesturing with a careless wave of his hand for the meeting to continue. He glanced once more at Ahsoka who did her best not to glare back. She would not be scared of him, let alone be a part of whatever game this apparent lunatic wanted to play.

"Say we, the Separatist states are legitimate!" Senator Voe Atell demanded, sharp crimson eyes glaring into Padme's now wary brown ones. "You are the Chancellor's representative, are you not?" she sneered.

"Certainly you can inform him that we will not go forward with the peace negotiations until he agrees and publicly recognizes that that we will no longer be choked by the Republic's leash!" This declaration was met with nods of approval by the men who flanked her.

"You misunderstand the Chancellor as well as the Republic," Padme's voice was placating as she spoke. "No one is being tied down and we are not the puppets of a superior power. Everyone is given a voice."

"A voice that your precious Chancellor loves to stamp out," Senator Lawise snapped.

"Chancellor Palpatine takes the time to listen to every case pleaded before him," Senator Organa intoned. "The decisions he makes are judicical, no one has suffered from it and if something-"

"No one has suffered?" The female Separatist Senator broke in. "We are at war! You must be blind to not notice the suffering and on both sides of the galaxy," she sniffed.

"The Republic acknowledges that there is a war and suffering as a result from it," Padme began carefully. "And in avoidance of finger pointing, we would like to settle differences and end the war so the meaningless suffering can stop and the time for peace can begin."

"That sounds like a very nice dream, Madame Senator," Thorne drawled. "But I'm afraid that the Separatist State must insist that the proverbial finger be pointed. Perhaps we should wait until Chancellor Palpatine can give us an audience with him."

Padme frowned, she didn't want to have to throw in the towel at all let alone so soon, it would seem as if she were incapable of handling her responsibilities as Senator. However she also didn't want to be forced into giving what the Separatists demanded. Before she could try to buy more time though, Bail, who seemed to sense her distress, placed a hand on her arm in a silent gesture of reassurance as he replied to Senator Bonteri.

"Perhaps it would be best for us all to regroup amongst our political parties and reconvene in the morning."

"Do try to get the Chancellor to speak with us," Bonteri answered.

"We shall try," Senator Mothma assured him. "However we are but a few of many Galactic Republic Senators."

Padme couldn't help but wince at that. It seemed like she was helpless and couldn't fight for peace throughout the galaxy. Her friend's words also appeared to insinuate that Senator Voe Atell was right and they were nothing but the Chancellor's pawns. However, Padme knew that her friend meant absolutely no harm and perhaps the young Senator was misconstruing the older woman's words, but she decided at that moment that Bail was right, they needed to regroup and reconvene in the morning. Perhaps reaching out to the Chancellor would be for the best after all.

The sun was beginning its descent toward the horizon when the meeting adjourned for the day, Senators rising from their seats and huddling about themselves per their stance on the political spectrum. Anakin kept a hard gaze on Damien as he swept out of the Great Hall, two other Separatists flanking him.

As soon as the man was out of sight, the Knight swung his gaze over to his Padawan, the iciness leaving his eyes and being replaced with a look that clearly said that his instructions were to be followed and there as to be no argument from her, however, considering just who his apprentice was and knowing her as well as he did, Anakin braced himself for some kind of fight nonetheless. However when looked at her, he noticed a curiosity in her eyes and knew she had a question. Her mouth opened and he hoped he could beat her to the punch.

"MasIdonterIwan-"

So much for that plan.

Master and apprentice blinked, then each gestured for the other to speak first. Anakin laughed. "It's okay, Snips, you first."

She nodded her thanks then spoke. "Master, I don't understand. This whole argument that the Republic's Senators are being manipulated by the Chancellor, isn't that a bit hypocritical of the Separatists? They listen to Dooku as much as our Senators follow the advice and instructions of Chancellor Palpatine."

Anakin sighed. Ahsoka had a very good point, yet as Jedi there was little they could do when it came to the affairs of politicians. That didn't stop him from explaining things as best as he could to his Padawan however.

"How the Separatists view Dooku is different from how the Republic looks to the Supreme Chancellor," Anakin began. "I'm going to try and say this with as much neutrality as I possibly can, but whereas the Republic respects the Chancellor and does their best to implement his laws, while representing their home planets and approaching him with the needs of their people and what can be done to keep them safe and at peace. You remember learning of the Trade Federation's invasion on Naboo?" he checked.

Ahsoka nodded.

"Padme used to be Queen of Naboo. When the Trade Federation demanded her to sign their negotiation agreement, she refused for she knew how much her people would suffer as a result. Instead, she traveled to Coruscant and pleaded her case to the Senate. At first, she was met with resistance, but she had called for a 'Vote of No Confidence' in the previous Chancellor and-"

"Wait," Ahsoka interrupted. "This is very detailed." She eyed him suspiciously. "How do you know all this?"

Her Master gave her his most innocent look. "Why Snips, are you accusing me of spying?"

She snorted lightly. "If the boot fits, Skyguy. I wouldn't necessarily put it past you."

He laughed. "Touché, Snips. Let's just say, though I may have only been a little boy, I cared about what was happening and a few of Padme's handmaidens saw that."

"All right," Ahsoka replied, absorbing the tale. "So this led to Padme's election as Senator?"

"It was a major stepping stone, yeah."

"How does this compare to the Separatists? You haven't spent a lot of time with them, right?"

"You're right, I haven't," Anakin allowed. "But from what I've observed, the Separatist Senators are a bit more...fierce, shall we say when it comes to laws and the galaxy at laws. Not to say that the Galactic Republic Senators are entirely complacent, but the Separatists are a bit more reverent when it comes to their respect of Dooku."

"I can see that," Ahsoka furrowed her brow. "So, it's like the Separatists are blind to the fact they are in a sense, Dooku's puppets?"

"If you mean that they aren't aware that Dooku is actually a Sith and the one who is leading them," Anakin clarified. "Then no, I don't believe they are aware, he's that good of an actor."

"You mean, master manipulator?" Ahsoka asked dryly.

Skyguy grinned. "That too."

"All right, Master, what is it you were going to order me to do?"

"Hm?"

"I heard you, Master," Ahsoka replied pointedly. "You said, 'I want' right when I was about to ask you about the Separatists. You also had that look in your eye, the one that demands no argument from me. So what is it? What has you so determined?"

"I want you to say away from Senator Thorne."

Ahsoka met his stare with a deadpan one of her own. "You think?"

"I mean it, Ahsoka," Anakin instructed firmly. "Don't go anywhere near him. I sense he is planning to stir up some kind of trouble and drag you into it."

The look in Ahsoka's ocean eyes became thoughtful. "You know, my dream pretty much foretold the same thing," she pointed out.

"All the more reason for you to stay away from him."

"I guess," she reluctantly agreed, then frowned, trying to test her barriers, seeing how far they would go. After all, Master Skywalker merely told her to stay away from the newest Senator of Raxus, he never made it a point blank order. "But...what about Lux? What if his uncle finds some way to harm him?"

"Why would _you_ want to be the instigator?" Anakin questioned warily.

"What do you mean?"

"Remember what you told me about your dream," her mentor began. "You said that Lux blamed you for some sort of betrayal, for helping his uncle. If you get close to Damien Thorne you're just going to make that nightmare a reality."

Ahsoka shook her head. "Think about it, Master. If I know what Thorne is planning, I can get to Lux and at least warn him of it."

"We don't even know where your boyfriend is!" She settled for answering that by pinning her Master with a withering gaze that had him biting back a grin.

"I bet his uncle has intelligence."

"Snips," Anakin sighed. "What part of 'I-don't-like-this' and 'I-sense-danger' do you not understand?"

Ahsoka sighed as well, knowing that this was a losing battle, but she had to get her Master to see sense. Though it seemed she would have to go close toward dangerous waters in order to protect Lux, she found herself unafraid of that prospect. It was just down to a matter of getting Anakin to let her go. He thought that Senator Thorne was trouble and that she was fixated on a problem that wasn't cause for concern just yet.

She thought back to those words Anakin had written during his days as a Padawan, perhaps they would help her. "I don't think you're a bad person."

Anakin blinked, frowning in confusion. "What?"

"Do you remember the book you gave me not long after I became your apprentice?" she questioned.

"The Jedi Path," the Knight affirmed with a nod. "What about it?"

"In it you had written that there were people," Ahsoka began. "People outside the Order whose presence you missed and that you would do anything to protect them. You then asked if those feelings made you a bad person. _I _don't think it does," she lowered her voice. "I care about Lux in the way you care about Padme, does that make _me _a bad person?"

Anakin couldn't help narrowing his eyes. Leave it to Ahsoka to use his words against him! "Of course it doesn't make you a bad person, Snips."

The look in her eyes was a mixture of innocence, curiosity and challenge. Anakin wanted to shake his head, only she could pull off such a look, each emotion ringing true. "Does that make me untrustworthy then?" Ahsoka asked.

"No, I trust you."

Ahsoka reigned in the urge to simultaneously whine and shout as she asked her mentor in her most composed voice, "Then why won't you let me see what Damien is up to?" There was a touch of exasperation in her voice, oh well. "It's just a recon mission, Skyguy. Of a sort," she amended. "I promise I won't go waltzing up to him, get in his face and demand to know what he's planning."

Anakin silently exhaled as he gazed out the window, taking in all that his Padawan had told him. Ahsoka was brave, fearless. But she was also headstrong, reckless at times. Force, she was so much like him! But that was thing, wasn't it. She was so similar to him, she could handle herself. She was Snips after all, which pretty much said everything. He just needed to place the trust in her, the one thing from him other than acceptance and pride, things that he had already given her that she so craved.

Anakin looked back at Ahsoka, his face all seriousness except for the hint of a smirk that pulled at his lips. "That _was_ a promise, right?" he checked.

Ahsoka did her best to not let blatant surprise show on her face as if it had been painted in the style of her facial markings. It wouldn't have been very Jedi of her and Skyguy would have only laughed at her so instead she merely nodded.

"All right then," Anakin continued. "Go see what you can find out on Thorne and then report back here. Try and remain out of sight. If you find yourself in some kind of trouble, come back to me immediately. Understood?"

"Absolutely, Master Skywalker," Ahsoka affirmed.

"Good. I'll be waiting here with Senator Amidala."

Ahsoka did her best to fight back a smirk. "I'll see you both soon then, Master."

Ahsoka stuck close to the shadows, flitting from one ship's silhouette to another as she followed the retreating Senator from Raxus. She couldn't help narrowing her eyes as she recalled his slimy condescending voice as he talked down to Padme. Her friend wasn't arrogant! Anakin and herself really were sent to Mandalore by Master Yoda. Ahsoka was having a hard time reconciling the fact that this jerk was really related to Mina and Lux.

As she moved toward another shadow, Ahsoka sensed someone was following her. Whirling around, she came face to face with the man whom Damien Thorne had been speaking with after he stared he her down. "There's no need for you to go stalking Milord Thorne, little girl." Ugh, maybe this guy was worse. He had the same viperish voice and called her little girl to boot. She sincerely hoped that he wasn't also a relative. One sleemo in a family was enough.

"And there is no reason for you to be stalking a _Jedi_," Ahsoka retorted, readying her lightsaber.

The man crossed his arms. "I am merely protecting my employer," he answered her blandly.

"What makes you think I'm not doing the same for the Senators of the Galactic Republic?"

"_I_ believe you little Jedi-girl."

Turning around, Ahsoka did her best to remain impassive as she came face to face with Senator Damien Thorne. She was mostly successful, yet she couldn't quite keep that electric spark of irritation from leaping about her oceanic eyes. Seeing this, Damien's plastic smile widened.

"After all," he went on. "It is the duty of a Jedi to protect the lives of the innocent. And...the occasional slip of protecting those whom he or she cares about. I believe it is called attachment?"

Forcing herself to ignore the dread that curled her stomach, the Padawan channeled her inner Obi-Wan. Raising a white eye mark, she replied in her most aloof tone, "I'm afraid I don't follow you, Senator Thorne. What exactly is it that you are implying? You assume that I have an attachment? To who, specifically?"

"The proper usage is _whom_, Jedi-girl," Thorne stated, amused by her attempts to ignore his hypothesis on Jedi attachment. "And I am speaking of my nephew, Lux. The dear, sweet misguided son of my late and equally misguided elder sister."

Ahsoka clamped her lips over her clenched teeth, reigning in a snarl. She was right, Damien was a sleemo. Who else would insult their sibling's memory like that? _Think like Master Kenobi_, she coached herself. _Think like Master Kenobi. _"And what makes you so sure I have an attachment to the younger former Senator?"

The plastic smile took on a sadistic air highlighted by the gleam in his gray eyes. "I watch, Padawan Tano. I keep an eye on the events occurring within Raxus. Even if it's something as small and ordinary as a new friendship being forged. Well, it _would _be ordinary, if it wasn't between my nephew and a Jedi."

She couldn't fight the slight frown from gracing her face. Why was Thorne watching...spying on his nephew? It would make sense if he was worried about Lux since he was Senator and like most Senators, he didn't trust Jedi, yet Mina had been Senator when Ahsoka had befriended Lux and she couldn't pick up any sort of concern in his voice. Even false concern would've been obvious. But there was nothing. So there _was_ a plan involving herself and Lux. The question was, what?

"You are friends with my nephew, are you not, Padawan?"

Ahsoka smirked. _You want to dance, Senator Sleemo? Then, let's dance. _"I don't dislike your nephew, Senator."

"You are friends with Lux," Damien affirmed with a nod. "Good. I was counting on that."

This put Ahsoka on edge. "And you were relying on my having a friendship with Lux because...?"

"Because I know you can bring him home safely." There was almost, almost a hint of genuine concern within those steel depths, yet the lack of sincerity in his voice kept her from being convinced.

"Lux is away from home because he needs to find closure for his mother's death," Ahsoka responded. "Why would that be cause for his life to be endangered?"

Damien was silent for a moment, studying the Chosen One's apprentice before speaking. "I grow tired of standing around out here, Jedi-girl, perhaps we can move-"

"I prefer staying out here," Ahsoka answered shortly. "What is it about Lux that has you concerned?"

The Senator sighed. "As I mentioned, my nephew is naive. He is also passionate, hard headed. I know of his public decrying of both the Separatist states and Count Dooku. He could be killed for it."

"He nearly was," Ahsoka recalled.

Thorne gave a nod in acknowledgement. "I have a feeling that he still could be. Lux humiliated the states with that little stunt he pulled at the last peace negotiation." An incredulous laugh escaped the man. "A negotiation for peace is where he insulted the Separatist leader. My nephew is going to be in great danger. Supports of Count Dooku are not going to take well to his presence. He not only insulted our leader, but my family as well."

Blue eyes sharpened as they gazed at the Senator. "You'd kill him, wouldn't you?"

"Come now, Jedi-girl," Damien chided. "You can't honestly think that."

"I think that you aren't very fond of him, let alone your own sister."

"I am not fond of their ideals," Damien clarified. "But I never wanted either of them dead. I just want my nephew home where I can keep a close watch on him. Sure you must sense the truth to my words."

Ahsoka wasn't sure what to make of his words. In all honesty, the man in front of her reminded her of Chancellor Palpatine. Someone who spoke with great sincerity, but seemed to talk down to people, he always spoke to her like a naive child. He ignored the advice of others, no matter how sound it was and found that during the war, people no matter their rank could be disposable.

Yet the Chancellor still retained his popularity. Even _Skyguy_ was friends with him, something that Ahsoka couldn't fathom. However that was an issue she would have to deal with later, perhaps ask Padme or Obi-Wan about it.

Eyeing whom she now silently dubbed "mini-Palpatine", a nickname that she'd have to keep from Anakin unless she wanted to weather a lecture from him, Ahsoka spoke, reiterating his words. "You want me to find Lux and bring him back to Raxus for you. You feel that he will agree to doing so because of our supposed friendship."

The creepy grin was back. "Your friendship isn't an alleged arrangement, Padawan Tano, no matter how much you deem it to be. In fact, I'd wager it was something more."

Mini-Palpatine was creepy and slimy and if Ahsoka had to venture a guess, perverted too. She wanted to be out of his presence as soon as possible. Not that she was afraid, mind you. She was getting annoyed and dangerously close to shoving her lightsaber down his throat. "If I bring Lux back to Raxus and subsequently you, what will happen to him?"

"At that point, what happens to him would normally be none of your concern," Thorne replied smoothly. "However, given the fact that you aren't quite a 'proper' Jedi, I suppose that you would like to be informed that he will be safe and able to live the life he had been living before he became a fugitive. Is that satisfying to you?"

Ahsoka regarded him, face blank. "I am not a bounty hunter you know," she stated. "However, Lux is indeed a friend of mine and I shall ensure his safe return to Raxus."

"Excellent choice, Jedi-girl."

"This may take a while," she drawled. "I don't know where in this galaxy he is located."

"I have intelligence that he's here on Mandalore," Thorne reported.

_I'll kill him myself if he's realigned himself with Death Watch. _"Why don't you go to him yourself?"

"Unfortunately, I don't have the time to do that," he replied. "I'm due to meet with my fellow Senators soon and discuss our plans for negotiations with the Senators of the Republic since we are to reconvene with them in the morning. Besides, Lux won't recognize any of my men and could possibly think they work for the enemy."

"I guess that's plausible," Ahsoka allowed, innocence flooding her voice. "So the plan is, I find Lux, somehow, miraculously convince him to go home to Raxus, you did, sir, mention that Lux is hotheaded. From there he will be safe and sound. Is that correct?"

"Every word of it, Padawan," Thorne affirmed.

"All right," Ahsoka replied. "I'll go now then." She gave a polite bow. "May the Force be with me in bringing your nephew home." As she turned to leave, Ahsoka's eyes narrowed, the color darkening as she thought vehemently to herself, _the only reason why I'm agreeing to do this is because I now am a step ahead of you, sleemo. I can warn Lux off before you get anywhere near me. Try to send your men after me. I'll be ready._

As she promised, Ahsoka returned to Anakin who indeed did have Padme standing beside him, waiting for her. "Hey, Snips," Anakin greeted. "Good to see you don't have any blood on your hands." He laughed as he withstood a swat to the ribs from Padme.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "I kept my word, Master," she replied lightly. "I merely talked to Senator Thorne."

"What did he want?" Padme asked. At Ahsoka's curious stare, she continued, "I don't have to be a Jedi to tell he has something up his sleeve."

The teen did her best to hide her disgust. "He wants me to find Lux and bring him home. He claims that Lux is in great danger for both insulting Count Dooku and the Thorne/Bonteri name. He also believes that because of my friendship with Lux , I will be capable of convincing Lux to return to Raxus. In other words, he wants me to lure Lux to him." She scowled. "It makes me feel like I'm some 'Lady of the night'!"

Anakin frowned, eyeing her suspiciously. "One, how do you know what a 'Lady of the night' is and how does he know of your friendship with Lux?"

Ahsoka didn't miss a beat. "Remember when you and Master Windu were injured due to a fight against Boba Fett?" When Anakin nodded, she went on. "When Master Plo and I went to the Undercity to gather intel on Boba's whereabouts, we entered a few bars. It isn't that hard to pick up some of the lingo down there."

She had to bite her lip to hide her amusement as she watched Anakin visibly relax as he took in her words. "Senator Thorne says he knows of my friendship with Lux because he likes to keep an eye on things in Raxus. I assume this means he was aware of our first meeting."

"Does he know of the whereabouts of his nephew?" Padme asked. "Or does he expect you to scour the galaxy tirelessly."

"He said Lux is here on Mandalore," Ahsoka replied. "There was truth to his words, at least with that. I wasn't given a specific location. Nor did I ask for one, I wanted to be out of the Senator's presence as quickly as possible. Not that all Senators are bad!" She added hastily, wincing as she looked at Padme.

"That's not a sentiment all Jedi agree with," Padme remarked wistfully. "Not that I blame you when it comes to Mina's brother, however."

"If you don't have any specific leads on the kid's whereabouts, then how do you expect to find him?" Anakin questioned.

"Well, I figure he's in hiding," his apprentice began. "And most likely, hiding in plain sight. Mandalore is a neutral planet, no doubt people of the Republic and Separatist states come and go here." She rolled her eyes. "It's also probably best to think like a boy. In other words, start my search in bars."

"This isn't your search alone, Snips," Anakin asserted. "I'm going to look for him too."

"I'd like to help as well," Padme replied. "Unfortunately, I must go meet with Bail and Mon Mothma in a few minutes. Whenever we're on break, I'll keep my eyes open for him in case he's close to the palace."

Ahsoka smiled at the two adults. She supposed it couldn't hurt to have help, Senator Bonteri didn't state otherwise. For another thing, Padme had known Lux since he was a boy and Anakin was familiar with him. When it came to the latter however, Ahsoka did secretly hope that she reached her friend first. "Thank you."

"Well, it looks like we have a plan. Sort of," Anakin amended with a shrug. He turned to the Republic Senator. "Padme, good luck with your meeting. I hope peace can be achieved soon."

Ahsoka couldn't help but flash back to a moment when she and Barris were on a ship headed to pick up spies. The two were holding a discussion about what would happen when peacetime did occur and Ahsoka had questioned how it would affect her mentor. She amused herself by imagining that he would go crazy from the relative quiet would actually stir up trouble just to have someone to combat.

A hand laid on her shoulder startled her out of her musings. Looking up she saw that Padme had returned inside and that Anakin was looking at her curiously. "You okay, Snips?"

"Fine, Master. Why?"

"I felt your emotions through the bond," Anakin replied. "There were a few brief flares of anger and impatience."

"Sorry, Skyguy." Ahsoka looked away. "I guess I let my worry get the best of me."

"It happens," Anakin allowed. "At least you didn't let your negative emotions take control of you and make you do something you regret."

His Padawan smiled. "This is true." She took a breath then added, "Shall we split up to look for Lux?"

Anakin nodded before stopping her. "By the way, Snips. Mini-Palpatine?"

Once again, Ahsoka didn't miss a beat. "My new nickname for you," she replied with a too innocent smile and a shrug. "You remind me of the Chancellor and Skyguy seems too fun for you."

Anakin crossed his arms and gave her a scowl that wasn't reflected in his eyes. "Gee thanks, Padawan. Love you too."

"You're welcome, _Skyguy_!" she replied before taking off.

Cloak wrapped around her body, hood up, Ahsoka slipped into the first bar she could find. Slinking along the wall, she moved as casually as she could, trying not to draw too much attention. The bartender's area was full, the patrons' voices loud and jumbled. Closing her eyes, she called on her natural Togrutan gifts to pinpoint specific words, perhaps there was some word about a boy who didn't belong.

"A drink for a pretty lady?"

Nevermind.

Opening her eyes, Ahsoka was greeted by a pudgy male Siniteen who was flanked by three other males, a Rodian, a Twi'lek and a Cerean, Something told the Jedi apprentice wouldn't be taking 'no' for an answer. She passed a hand in front of their eyes. "You _will_ leave this place."

They laughed at her. _All right, so they're not as dull-witted as I thought. _She made a move to side step them but they followed her moves, the light in their eyes becoming disturbingly troublesome. Ahsoka was about to try using the Force to manipulate their minds again when a hand caught hers as an arm came around her waist.

"Sorry about my girlfriend, boys," another male voice said lightly, his face was hidden by a black cloak which meant that her rescuer was clearly not Anakin. "She's a bit imaginative. Likes to pretend to be a Jedi." The stranger shared a hearty but false laugh with the other males.

"If you excuse us." As he began to lead Ahsoka away, the Siniteen called out to the pair. "Your lady's quite the looker, mind sharin' her with us sometime?"

Still not revealing himself to Ahsoka who did her best to maintain her part of the act by staying still, the boy turned to look back at the others, his voice growing cold. "I don't think so." Hurrying their pace, he escorted Ahsoka out of the bar and didn't stop until they were a good distance and ensured that they were alone.

As Ahsoka yanked herself away from her-damn, him, she didn't not want to have to call him her rescuer-_helper, _he spoke, his voice now warm and casual. "You see? I kept my promise. We've met again."

Ahsoka froze. That voice. Light, playfully confident and protective. Protective of _her_. The voice that made her heart ache, speed up and nearly stop all at once.

When he didn't get a response from her, he laid a hand on her shoulder. "Ahsoka, you-oof!" She had then answered him by elbowing him in the stomach and flipped him over her shoulder so he landed hard on his back.

"H-hello, Ahsoka," Lux gasped. "It's good to see you."

"I am going to kill you," she promised, voice filled with emotion, a silly grin painted on her face.

"I missed you too."

Laughing, Ahsoka helped him to his feet before yanking him in for a tight hug. "I missed you, idiot. You had me worried!"

Holding her just as tightly, Lux responded, "I appreciate the concern, Ahsoka, but I can handle myself."

"Last time you said that, you nearly got us both killed," she retorted.

"I also gained a fiancée," he teased. Leaning away but still holding on to her, he looked her in the eye. "I just rescued you now, didn't I?"

"I could've handled myself," Ahsoka protested. "I suppose I owe you a thank you though, eh?"

"I can think of one way you can thank me," Lux replied for a grin. He leaned closer to Ahsoka, his eyes closing. Ahsoka smiled weakly, she wanted to kiss him, oh did she want to. Unfortunately, they had more pressing issues to deal with and the quicker they reunited with Anakin, the better.

She gently placed two fingers over Lux's lips. "Wait a moment."

He opened his green-gray eyes. "What's wrong?"

Ahsoka did her best to hide her fear. "Lux, you're in danger. Possibly grave danger."

So! How many of you are going to kill me for the kiss teaser and the cliff hanger? I just wanted this chapter up. It. Was. Torture. It just wouldn't write itself. I've never written a political meeting, stealth or dealt with an OC on my own for as long as I did. But I've gotten through it. Hopefully you'll like this chapter. Please, please trust me, this story will get done, but I'm not the quickest updater for I do a lot of research on this.

Thank you goes to ThSamurai, a good friend of mine who reviewed the Senatorial meeting before posting it tonight. Also to the author of The Jedi Path. It's a great resource and good for a laugh too for most of those comments made by the "owners of the book".


	4. Conflicting Emotions

Hang the Code

Disclaimer: If Star Wars was mine, I would've done the best I could to smack Anakin upside the head...several times.

* * *

><p>Chapter Four: Conflicting Emotions<p>

Lux Bonteri had been taught from a very young age taught to be polite, remain confident, speak with eloquence, not to appear to be wearing a mask, hiding true feelings should they be beneficial to the people, be creative and shrewd if need be and to maintain an open mind despite having conflicting beliefs to whatever the situation may be. Yet all his teachings, bestowed lovingly upon him by both his mother and father, completely flew out the window. He was a blank, bewildered slate.

Ahsoka Tano, his close and trusted friend who could perhaps somehow (if only, if only) become someone more just told him that his life was in danger. His first instinct was to laugh and tell the ocean eyed girl "duh". Did she not remember their little "adventure" on Carlac? They had lied to and defied Death Watch, a terrifying group of Mandalorian "Purists".

Ahsoka herself had compromised her position as a Jedi Padawan by not only helping him escape the Death Watch but by merely being his friend. The friend of a Separatist Senator, two strikes against her in the eyes of the Jedi. He knew that and kriff, was it a bitter taste to swallow. But hey, she had searched him out now and it was of her own, vintage Ahsoka defiant will.

Yet as he gazed into her large eyes, Lux knew that she was completely serious and that his life was in danger. Trying his hardest to remain calm, Lux forced a cocky, wry smile onto his face as he raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess, Death Watch?"

To his surprise, Ahsoka let out a harsh laugh and looked as if she wanted to throw Jedi protocol out the window and start crying. "If it was Death Watch, at least I'd know what the kriff I'm supposed to do."

A claw of ice raked its way down his spine. "Well then," he began quietly. "Who is it that wants me dead?"

"The new Senator of Raxus, Lux," she replied uncomfortably. "Your uncle, Damien Thorne."

He was a blank, bewildered slate once again.

It took him some time to find his voice, Ahsoka waiting in agitated silence. "My...uncle...? Wh-what?" Lux shook his head and tried again. "Ahsoka, you're my closest friend and I trust you more than anyone, but what in the galaxy are you talking about? Why would my uncle want me dead?""

Lux," Ahsoka began gently. "Your uncle, he-" she broke off, a chill running down her spine. A sense of foreboding washed over her. Eyes roving, she searched amongst the throngs, her full lips pulling down into a frown.

"Ahsoka...?" Lux whispered, concerned.

"Quiet!" she hissed, air rushing past her teeth. She then spotted a man she recognized from Senator Thorne's security detail. So, it seemed that Mini-Palpatine didn't trust her after all. Well, she had to admit that the man wasn't an idiot. He knew of her friendship with his nephew and had blatantly implied that she meant more to the boy than as a mere friend.

It took all of her willpower to not flash the follower a smug, cocky, "I'm onto you, Loser and there's not a thing you can do about it" smirk. Perhaps her mouth could have curved that way had Lux not been standing at her side and had there been no Mandalorian citizens out and about.

Dark blue eyes remained on the man as Ahsoka reached out and grasped Lux's wrist and casually averted her gaze making it seem like her gaze had merely flickered over the man. She then began to move at an equally casual pace, speeding up when his presence grew fainter.

"Ahsoka where are we going and when are you going to explain this insane theory you have about my uncle?" Not looking back at him, the Padawan replied, "As soon as we rendezvous with my Master, Anakin Skywalker."

Lux froze in shock upon hearing the name, his abrupt stop causing Ahsoka to stumble back slightly. "You're the student of the Hero with No Fear?!" he cried.

Unfazed by the Republic given name, Ahsoka nodded. "Yep, that's my Master."

"While that hardly changes my view of you," the former Senator began. "Although, it does partially explain why you're so amazing, it means he's going to kill me. And that has nothing to do with being a former Separatist."

Despite her nerves, Ahsoka smirked. "Nah, Skyguy isn't all that bad. Sure, he can be protective and sometimes it's to the point of smothering, but he's not gonna blow up on ya."

"So you say," Lux mumbled.

His friend grinned and gently squeezed his wrist. "Just don't say anything stupid enough to set him off."

"Gee, 'Soka that's awfully specific," Lux deadpanned.

Pulling the former Senator over to stand under a line of trees, Ahsoka said, "There's nothing for you to worry about. Anakin..." she blushed and looked away. "Ah...Anakin...my Master...he..he knows..." her voice trailed off, getting slightly higher in the end.

"He knows...?" Lux repeated, eyebrow raising. He took in Ahsoka's embarrassed face that still held a reminiscent yet happy smile. It then dawned on him. "He knows about Carlac?!" He was horrified.

"Oh, what? Do you regret it?" Ahsoka snarked. "Calm down, he knows it was for the sake of survival."

"Still," Lux went on. "I kissed a prominent Jedi's Padawan. Something tells me he isn't going to be too thrilled helping me out."

He frowned and looked at said Padawan intently. "And how did you feel when I kissed you? Did you regret it?"

Ahsoka fell silent, looking away. For what seemed to be the first time, since her return voyage to Coruscant from Carlac, she was able to give that moment in the tent some serious thought. At the time, she had been too caught up worrying about her friend as he flew away from her, further into the cold abyss of space. She also worried about what her Master would say about failing to return with Lux in tow and her so called "detour" to Carlac.

When it came to the kiss initially, well, truth be told, she was ready to hit the vengeful boy yet she had also given into her emotional side and further solidified her attachment to him. The question was now though, did she regret it? Did she wish that he could have found another way to silence her? She had just told Lux that her Master knew it to be a means to solidify a cover story, yet that was a lie. Both teacher and student came to the conclusion that Ahsoka did indeed have an attachment. It both thrilled and terrified her.

It thrilled her because it had been her first kiss, albeit it was stolen, but it had been during an insane rescue mission which had added to the danger and of course, there was her life's path as that of a Jedi. That also gave to the forbidden fruit taste of their kiss.

Ah and there it was. She was a Jedi. A fact that she was so proud of. She wanted to be the best, a Knight, just like Masters Skywalker and Koon. Yet according to the Code, in order to become a truly successful Jedi, one must not have any attachments for they will become distractions and eventual means for straying off the path of the light side and toward darkness.

Anakin seemed adamant in proving this wrong however. After all, the talk they had in the cruiser wasn't the first time they discussed attachment. True, the 'l' word, love had come up this time around, but as stated before, her Master and one of her confidantes had told her that as long as her attachments didn't get the best of her, then she would be able to find inner balance and learn to allow those attachments to help her.

"Ahsoka?" Lux's voice startled the Padawan out of her reverie. "You're taking a long time to answer." His silver frosted green eyes were downcast and his voice sounded despondent, breaking Ahsoka's heart.

She let out a loud sigh. She was so much like her Master. Honestly, if it wasn't for the difference in age and species, they could have very well been twins. She blinked. Never mind. She wasn't sure why, but she preferred the father daughter bond. Looking at Lux, she smiled softly daring to slip her hand into his and entwine their fingers.

"No, I don't regret it," she finally told him. "Not one bit."

Returning her smile, Lux moved his hand onto her arm and slid it up, grasping her warm neck while his other arm draped itself around her waist and pulled her closer, his lips descending toward hers. However they did not make contact for she tilted her head away and leaned her torso back, regarding him with a cheeky smile and sparkling blue eyes.

"I thought you said you don't regret the kiss," Lux frowned as her reluctantly freed Ahsoka from his embrace.

"I don't."

"Then why won't you kiss me?" He challenged.

"We had the brief privacy of a tent." She nodded behind him. "Jedi sometimes must go incognito while on a mission. There are too many potential witnesses. I'd like to stop the threat on your life before I'm kicked out of the Order if you don't mind. Not to mention said threat and the fact that we were being followed not too long ago."

Lux leaned in close again, mischief playing about. "I will get another kiss," he stated in a mock serious tone. "Even if I have to steal it again."

"Well," she replied in an equally flirty voice. "I look forward to the challenge." She took his hand once more. "Now, c'mon, let's go meet up with Anakin."

"I still say he's going to try to harm me," Lux insisted.

"We don't know that."

"I thought you said he wouldn't!"

Ahsoka just laughed.

* * *

><p>Anakin was annoyed. He knew it was the right thing to do, protecting this kid from a possibly sinister figure could amount to something even bigger. And if not, well then, at least a life would be saved. It was just who he was protecting that annoyed him.<p>

Lux Bonteri, a reckless, determined, passionate teenage boy who went charging into danger headfirst dragging along others for a ride. In this case it had been his Padawan whom Bonteri had taken and to the Death Watch no less. If Anakin hadn't been convinced that Bonteri liked Ahsoka, he would've been seething with fury that the kid was escorting her to her doom.

What made matters worse was that Ahsoka also liked Lux. True, she was angry with him for choosing such violent means of vengeance...

_Like you're one to talk?_ A soft voice chided him silently.

Force, Ahsoka and Lux were the younger versions of Padme and himself, only with slightly different circumstances including that the girl of this attachment was the Jedi and the boy was the politician. Anakin grudgingly figured that the connection to Bonteri should make him a bit more agreeable. However if he heard any rumors of a wedding, he was locking the girl in her room until she was thirty. She was seventeen now (younger than_ he_ had been!), the war shouldn't last for another thirteen years. Hopefully, anyway.

Anakin made his way toward a nearby bar when a familiar voice stopped him.

"Skyguy!"

He was torn between grinning at the nickname and scowling in annoyance for he knew what Ahsoka's finding him meant. Instead, he settled his features into that of the calm and somewhat aloof Master, inclining his head to acknowledge his Padawan while his posture remained straight, hands clasped behind his back. A smile threatened his cool facade as he noticed the mischievous look on Ahsoka's face as she whispered to Lux, no doubt explaining to him why she called Anakin "Skyguy".

The smile stopped tugging at his lips as the two came to a stop in front of him. Ice blue eyes studied the teenage boy before them. So this was Lux Bonteri, the former Separatist (Oh, Snips, why'd you have to fall for a_ Separatist_?) Senator who had disrupted the peace negotiations and who had involved Ahsoka in his quest for vengeance by dragging her halfway across the galaxy. Again, his inner voice taunted. You're no better. Doesn't Padme know all about your own act of vengeance from when your mother died?

Lux was a miniature non-Force sensitive version of Anakin himself. Yeah, that really didn't make the Knight like the boy any better. He was so caught up in staring the kid down that he hardly noticed Ahsoka eyeing him oddly. "Uh, Anakin?"

He couldn't fight the smirk on his face as he noticed the look of slight awe and intimidation that came into Lux's eyes as he stared up at him. Anakin felt a small kernel of satisfaction bloom within him. So the kid knew to be wary of him. Good!

"Master?" Ahsoka tried getting Anakin's attention again. She succeeded this time.

"Yes, Ahsoka?"

"Are you all right?"

"Never better, Snips. So," he gave a nod in Lux's direction. "Is this your friend?" Anakin put the lightest stress on the word "friend" but it spoke volumes, blaring the fact that he was well aware of the two teenagers being more than just friends. Lux blushed and looked away while Ahsoka shot him an annoyed glare.

"Master Skywalker," she began in a clipped, completely business voice. "This is Lux Bonteri. Lux Bonteri, meet my teacher, Master Anakin Skywalker."

Anakin knew that voice, after all Padme had one just like it. He usually had to tread lightly lest he face some sort of humiliation or a cold shoulder later on. Unfortunately for Master and Padawan, a risk had to be taken today, if he had to spend any time around the boy who had put Ahsoka through so much and Anakin wasn't referring to emotional hurdles alone.

True, he was letting his personal feelings take reign while on a mission, but the Chosen One prophecy aside, he knew he wasn't the ideal Jedi and he knew that he wouldn't be himself if he was. "Lux Bonteri," Anakin began, holding out a hand for the kid to shake. "From what I've heard, you're quite the audacious type."

Seeing the grimace on the boy's face as well as the determination in his eyes, Anakin knew Ahsoka had given him some form of coaching before they rendezvoused with him. This would make things interesting. "Master Jedi, with all due respect to you and Ahsoka," Lux began. "I didn't want to get Ahsoka involved."

"You saw my Padawan at those earlier negotiations," Anakin responded, voice cold. "You were well aware that despite being a Separatist, she didn't dislike you and I'm venturing a guess here that you knew how compassionate she is. Of course she'd get involved, despite whether or not you had prior knowledge of her presence on Mandalore!"

_Master_, Ahsoka spoke through their bond, her "voice" tinged with nervousness. _Calm down._

_Take to heart your own advice, Snips._

He went on. "You knocked her unconscious, hijacked her ship and brought her to Death Watch's doorstep, intentional or not." His ice blue eyes narrowed into a sneer. "If that's not audacity...recklessness, then I don't know what is." He could practically feel Ahsoka's palm meeting her forehead.

_Hello pot_, she sent, radiating sarcasm into the Force as she tilted her head towards Lux. _Meet kettle. You're black. Shall I fetch a mirror to prove it?_

He arched a brow. _Ignoring that._

_Shocker._

Aloud, Anakin continued. "Did you even know that she could've been killed?"

"Everything was fine until the attack on the Ming Po village!" Lux protested. Ahsoka winced, that wasn't going to win him any points with Anakin. That was just playing into his hands.

"Which had been attacked because the Death Watch are cruel, vicious and manipulative," Anakin shot back. "And yet the Ming Po chieftain had stood up to them anyway. Unlike you. I can't decide if you're stupid but brave or cowardly."

_"Master!"_ Ahsoka hissed.

Deciding to wrap things up, Anakin leaned toward Lux using his height to full advantage as he loomed over the boy, whispering. "Stupid but brave, that's what you are and for the sake of keeping you away from your psychotic uncle, I'm willing to overlook _most_ of your stunts." He flicked his eyes toward Ahsoka briefly, but the message behind that gesture was clear.

Looking back toward Lux they became colder, more threatening as his whisper became harsher. "But you put Ahsoka who is like a _daughter_ to me through emotional hell again and I will _personally_ hunt you down. Do I make myself clear?"

"Unnecessarily crystal," Lux replied.

Anakin straightened up and regarded his Padawan. "Have you briefed Bonteri as to why we're here on Mandalore seeking him out?"

Ahsoka hesitated, "Not quite, Master. We were being followed by one of Senator Thorne's guards. I couldn't give him a full briefing, he only knows that his uncle has hatched some dangerous plot against him."

"Wait," Lux held up a hand. "I can't be the original reason why you're here. Knowing Ahsoka, she was probably sent here to attend peace negotiations with Senator Amidala. I'm guessing that goes double for you, Master Jedi," he added, inclining his head respectfully toward Anakin.

"You're right," Ahsoka affirmed. She sent him a sly smile, "you were just an added bonus."

Anakin stared dryly at her. _Really? You're flirting? Now?_

The response he got was an attempted look of innocence as she refused to meet his gaze. _I wouldn't call it_ flirting,_ Master. It's just banter._

_Otherwise known as flirting._

Refraining from rolling her eyes, Ahsoka spoke, "So what now, Master? I was sent to retrieve Lux and bring him to his uncle so he can receive who knows what as a punishment. Clearly that's not going to happen. What are we going to do?" Regarding Lux's shocked look, she inwardly winced. It was like her nightmare all over again, only this time she wasn't playing into Thorne's hands.

She hoped.

"Remaining here on Mandalore is too risky when Senator Thorne is clearly still here waiting for the two of you," Anakin began. "Returning to Raxus would be too obvious as well, our best course of action is to take you to Coruscant, you'll have the protection of the Republic." He gave the kid a deadpan look. "Try to not reject their help this time."

"I won't, sir," Lux replied. "But wouldn't Coruscant be just as risky of a place to be on just like Mandalore here? That's where the Senate convenes and where the Senators, most of them anyway, live."

Anakin smirked, "Very astute, kid." He ignored Ahsoka's jab to his side. "However that's also where the Jedi temple is located, should the need to call for back up arise, we'll have easy access. Though my Padawan and I usually fare just fine on our own." He looked to the blue eyed apprentice. "Right, Snips?"

She nodded warily. "Right, Master."

"As for right now, what's going to happen is this," Anakin began. "We're going to go to the palace and Ahsoka, you're going to board Senator Amidala's ship with Bonteri. Given what happened during the last attempt at a peace negotiation, I'm not entirely too sure just how welcome Bonteri's presence will be, particularly with the Separatist Senators and I'm not just talking about his uncle. You are to give him the remainder of his briefing while I go see if it's time for Senator Amidala and the others to return to Coruscant or if we are to procure a ship for ourselves and head back to Coruscant without anyone else."

Ahsoka didn't need to read her Master's Force signature to know that he wasn't exactly comfortable with such a plan even if it was something that Skywalker would have normally come up with. The emotions flooding his icy eyes said it all.

Pretending not to have seen it, she gave him a confident smile, "understood, Master."

"I understand as well, Master Jedi," Lux added.

"Very well," Anakin stated. "Let's move out."

* * *

><p>Upon reaching Duchess Satine's palace, Ahsoka and Lux did as Anakin asked and headed for Senator Amidala's transport. Nodding to the pilot, Ahsoka led her friend over to a seat, seating herself across from him. "So."<p>

"So," Lux replied.

Ahsoka sighed. This was going to be hard. Lux already knew that his uncle was after him and that was already difficult enough for him to swallow, but she had inadvertently created more stress for him by mentioning that his uncle wanted her to be his pawn. Then of course it seemed that Mini-Palpatine knew that she wasn't going to obey him, follower or not. She was a Jedi, not a bounty hunter. And as he so blatantly expressed, Lux was her friend, she wasn't going to betray him.

A chill ran down her spine. Perhaps Senator Sleemo would out her to the Council. While the seasoned Jedi were not necessarily on the best of terms with the Separatists, when it came to one of their strictest rules, the one on attachment, Ahsoka was willing to guess that they'd make an exception. Something also told her that going to Anakin to once again discuss her attachment to Lux wouldn't exactly be the best of ideas.

The sigh became louder. Some days she really hated her life.

Lux was leaning against the seat cushions and stared out the viewport, watching security detail and royal guards move about the concrete structure. Folding his arms against the sill and rested his head against him. A moment passed before he gave a short laugh. "So, my uncle was impudent enough to ask you to betray me. He made you his tool." His smile was weak. "Whatever circumstances may arise or whatever danger may come about, I'm glad you found me."

Ahsoka forced herself to become more comfortable. Despite the situation, Lux was her friend. She just wasn't sure what was worse, the Death Watch or the threat of a family member. She scoffed lightly. "Well, duh, Lux. So glad you have confidence in me. Of course I wasn't going to hand you over. I may be a Jedi, but I'm also not a traitor. I'm not going to endanger someone's life for such a stupid reason."

"So why exactly is my uncle after me?" Lux asked as her turned toward her. "You didn't get to finish explaining and truth be told, it just..." he hesitated, green eyes searching out the viewport again. "It just doesn't make any sense."

"Well, since I planned on finishing our discussion despite Master Skywalker's instructions, I guess I'd better do that now." Ahsoka shifted in her seat, trying to get comfortable and it wasn't just to assuage the tight muscles in her shoulders and back.

Seeing that she had Lux's full attention, she began. "When I had that conversation with Senator Thorne, at first, he made it sound like he was a properly worried uncle. Well, at least he tried. But there was something...off about his tone. Something sinister and...honestly, slimy. He said your 'tirade' during the last peace negotiations left you in a negative view of the other Separatist Senators and he was concerned for your safety, but then he said you also needed to be reprimanded because you humiliated both the family and Raxus."

Noticing the sudden look of conflicting shame and sadness, she moved off her seat and knelt in front of him, laying a slender hand upon his shoulder. "Lux?"

The boy looked at her, noticing the sympathy within her oceanic orbs and somehow felt even more vulnerable. "Is he right, Ahsoka?" He whispered. "Did I shame my home planet? Did I insult both my parents' memories?"

"I don't think so," she answered truthfully. She sat next to him. "Let's put this part on hold for now. Lux, tell me about your uncle, tell me everything you know, every memory that could possibly put the pieces of this family feud together. It's not just about protecting your life but..." she looked away, embarrassed. "It's kind of about protecting your heart too, so that way you'll be able to move on from this."

Lux managed to smile once more. "Thank you, Ahsoka." He sighed, tilting his head to face the ceiling. "Now, to tell you about my uncle. Truth be told, there's not much that I remember, we didn't spend much time together. But, from what I can remember, it was mostly arguments with my mother. You see, he didn't like the fact that she was the Senator of Raxus, never mind that they were both supporters of Dooku. They still had differing views.

My uncle was louder, more outspoken than my mother. He didn't want peace to come about anytime soon, he didn't believe that the Republic was capable of finding a balance with the Separatists, that they were arrogant, above everyone else."

Ahsoka snorted, "What, has he not met Padme until today? She's clearly not like that. A good amount of the Republic Senators are not arrogant. And when it comes to the planets within the Galactic Senate, not all of them are well off. Many are struggling financially, many families don't have a sense of peace of mind and this escalating war is making matters worse, not better. The whole point of these meetings are to end the war peacefully and tactfully both the opposing sides are just so strong!"

"Well, it's not like the head of the Confederacy is open to suggestions," Lux grumbled.

Sidestepping the fact that Dooku was also a _Sith_, Ahsoka added, "Well, it's not like the Chancellor is doing much to help either. Oh and while I get the feeling Padme may agree with me, don't tell Anakin. I can't understand why, but it seems like he'd rather take council from Chancellor Palpatine over his own former Master."

"Perhaps the Chancellor shares a viewpoint with Master Skywalker that his former Master does not," Lux suggested.

"That doesn't make any sense," Ahsoka grumbled, frustrated. "Master Kenobi is known throughout for his negotiation skills. He's a great leader. Granted, he's a Jedi Master and a war general and not an actual politician, a bit more by the book, but one would think Anakin could identify with him! Then again, Skyguy is reckless, who knows? Maybe Palpatine was like that in his heyday on Naboo."

"And what about yourself?" Lux asked, his voice teasing. "Think you've got a career in politics?"

"Oh ha ha. Isn't that a slap to the face of the Council," Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "They hardly trust Senators. Forget about me. Let's go back to your uncle."

Lux shrugged. "He disagreed with my mother, disagreed with my father and saw me as most adults do. An impressionable child, someone to mold, particularly the child's mindset, to their liking. Of course, my mother caught on quickly and limited his visits. Even after my father died. I guess when my mother passed, I became even more impressionable to my uncle Damien. Unfortunately for him, I was too bent on avenging her murder to really care much about politics. I just wanted Dooku out of power, to stop hurting people. I still do."

"Believe me," Ahsoka began, her hand returning to his shoulder. "You're not the only one."

"Now it's your turn to answer a question for me," Lux told her.

"All right," she agreed. "Shoot."

"How did my uncle manage to single you out at the meeting? You're a Jedi, a representative of the Republic and a friend of Padme's."

"He knows, Lux," Ahsoka replied solemnly. "Somehow he knows that we're friends, and perhaps even more. Says he watches and that he's known since the time I met you on Raxus. He doesn't know about Carlac, but…" she sighed. "He knows I have an attachment to you."

"So, in other words, he blackmailed you," Lux stated bluntly. "Yet instead of handing me over, you're taking me away to safety."

"Haven't we already established that?" Ahsoka smirked. "I'd rather he not go to the Council about that and maybe he won't. Perhaps your uncle just likes toying with people. I don't know. But what I do know is that you're my friend and I really care about you, Lux. We're a team, people on a team aren't supposed to betray one another."

"I hope you know, I'd never betray you," Lux promised softly.

Ahsoka grinned. "Yeah, I know."

She wasn't sure when the tense, serious moment suddenly became sweet, but she found herself leaning closer toward her good friend, her eyes sliding closed. Before they met, Lux cupped her face and asked softly, impishly, "You're not going to hesitate on me, are you?"

"No," she whispered.

Lips met, pressing softly and firmly against one another. Ahsoka leaned into his embrace, feeling his warm, slightly muscled arms wrap around her slender frame. Her own arms wrapped around his neck, fingers coming to toy with his hair. She absently noted that it was getting longer, too lost in the kiss to say anything about it.

All she was aware of was the feel of Lux's lips against her own, his arms encircling her and his hand which gently stroked her lekku, the other laying on her back, keeping her leaned on him. It was their own world and all their troubles including that strict Jedi Code flew right out the window.

* * *

><p>Oh my gosh, I did not mean to take so long with this chapter! There was writer's block…major, major block and school. What got me going was the season five preview. Lux is back and clearly his storyline has nothing to do with this. But of course you guys already know this is an AU, well semi. It just needed to be reiterated. You guys got a kiss! I could've teased you again, but I was in the moment and thus, a kiss was written in! It's going to be interesting next chapter. I'm not entirely sure what's coming myself, hopefully it's enough to keep all you wonderful reviewers interested. Your reviews have been amazingly kind and I've been so touched by all you have to say. Thank you so much.<p> 


	5. Author's Plea

1/8/13

All right, you have all convinced me! I will continue this fic! I have some ideas for chapter five so hopefully I can get something either before the end of the month or the during the beginning of the new year. You all really love this story, don't you? I've gotten my second "death threat" for leaving this fic hanging. o.O Do I need to get Obi-Wan to lecture you guys on attachment? A few of you do think I can convey him pretty well. Or shall I sic Vader on you? Apparently I can handle his personality as well. XD Either way, look forward to the continuation of this story! Which should hopefully be up by the end of this month if not sooner.


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